Effects of micronutrients on bulb growth, yield and quality of local and high yielding onion (Allium cepa L.) cultivars in Bangladesh

Abstract

Micronutrients have important functions on onion production. An experiment was conducted at the Landscape section and Laboratory of the Department of Horticulture, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh during the period from October, 2017 to March, 2018 to investigate the effects of micronutrients on bulb growth, yield and quality of local and high yielding (HY) onion cultivars in Bangladesh. The experiment comprised three onion cultivars viz., Taherpuri (local), BARI Piaz 1 (HY) and BARI Piaz 4 (HY), and five micronutrients viz., Control (no micronutrient), Boron (B) @ 0.2 g/plot, Zinc (Zn) @ 0.5 g/plot, Copper (Cu) @ 0.2 g/plot and B+Zn+Cu @ (0.2+0.5+0.2 g/plot). The two-factor experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications. Results revealed that onion cultivars and micronutrients had significant influence on the parameters studied. BARI Piaz 4 along with the application of B+Zn+Cu @ 0.2+0.5+0.2 g/plot produced the highest bulb size, increased plant height, number of leaves, fresh weight of bulb, per cent dry matter content of bulbs and bulb yield compared to other onion cultivars and micronutrient treatments. The highest bulb yield (16.07 t/ha) was recorded in B+Zn+Cu_, while the lowest bulb yield (8.92 t/ha) was found from control. Highest gross yield of onion (20.67 t/ha) was recorded from BARI Piaz 4 with B+Zn+Cu @ 0.2+0.5+0.2 g/plot. Therefore, it can be concluded that combined treatment of BARI Piaz 4 and B+Zn+Cu @ @ 0.2+0.5+0.2 g/plot was found to be better in respect of bulb growth and yield, and Taherpuri for quality of onion.