Effect of integrated nutrient management on growth yield quality and profitability of bulbs of onion

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at Horticultural Research Centre, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut (U.P.) 250110 during the Rabi seasons of year 2021-22 and 2022-23 to fulfill the various objectives of the study entitled Effect of Integrated Nutrient Management on Growth, Yield, Quality and Profitability of bulbs of Onion (Allium cepa L.) . The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) and replicated thrice. Total 11 treatments have been tried i.e., T1 - Control, T2 - 100% RDF (NPKS at 120:60:80:40 kg/ha), T3 - 100% RDF + Biofertilizers (Azospirillum + PSB at 5 kg/ha each), T4 - 75% RDF + FYM at 6 t/ha, T5 - 75% RDF + VC at 2 t/ha, T6 - 75% RDF + Biofertilizers (Azospirillum + PSB at 5 kg/ha each), T7 - 75% RDF + FYMat 2 t/ha + VCat 1 t/ha + Biofertilizers (Azospirillum + PSB at 5 kg/ha each), T8 - 50% RDF + FYM at 12 t/ha, T9 - 50% RDF + VCat 4 t/ha, T10 newline- 50% RDF + Biofertilizers (Azospirillum + PSB at 5 kg/ha each) and T11 - 50% RDF + FYM at 6 t/ha + VC at 2 t/ha + Biofertilizers (Azospirillum + PSB at 5 kg/ha each). During the experimentation, various observations on growth, yield, quality, economics of different applied treatments and availability of nutrient in soil at post-harvest stage were recorded during whole of the cropping periods 2021-22 and 2022-23. The treatment T7- 75% RDF + FYMat 2 t/ha + VCat 1 t/ha + Biofertilizers (Azospirillum + PSB at 5 kg/ha each) was found to be most effective in terms of growth behavior, yield attributing characters and quality parameters of onion crop followed by the treatment T6- 75% RDF + Biofertilizers (Azospirillum + PSB at 5 kg/ha each). (Allium cepa L.) However, the maximum availability of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and Sulphur in terms of kilogram per hectare at post- harvest stage and B:C ratio with the highest net return were observed in treatment T7 comprising of 75% RDF + FYMat 2 t/ha + VCat 1 t/ha + Biofertilizers (Azospirillum + PSB at 5 kg/ha each) during both the years of study.