Performance of Onion Under Different Growing Methods

Abstract

An experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Farm of the Eastern University, Sri Lanka, during the 'Yala'2007 to evaluate the performance of onion (Allium cepaL.) cv. Vethalam under different growing methods. The experiment was layed out in the RandomizedComplete Block Design (RCBD) with four treatments and five replications. Four ditTerent growing methods were practiced; they were raised seed bed, seed bed with ridges and furrows, sunken bed without polyethylene sheet and sunken bed with polyethylene sheet. Perforrnance of onion was assessed in terms of plant height, number of leaves per plant, yield and yield components such as bulb diameter and number of bulbs per plant. The maximum number of leaves per plant rvas recorded in the sunken bed with polyethylene sheet method and the plant height was high in the sunken bed with polyethylene sheet and raised seed bed methods on the 8h week after planting. The highest number of bulbs per piant was obtained in the sunken bed with poiyethylene sheet method. The plants which were raised in the raised seed bed method showed the maximum bulb diameter. However it was not significantly different from the bulb diameter recorded in the sunken bed withlpolyethylene sheet method. Sunken bed with polyethylene sheet method gave the highest yield compared to the other growing methods. This may be because polyethylene sheets would have enhanced the retention ofmoisture and nutrients available for the plants, which would have resulted in the production of highest yield.