Effect of irrigation levels on vegetative growth and yield characteristics in white onion (Allium cepa L.) in Konkan region

Abstract

An experiment was conducted at College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Dapoli to assess the effect of irrigation levels on vegetative growth and yield characteristics in white onion on micro-irrigation system. In the present investigation white onion variety Alibag local was tested under three irrigation levels namely I 1 ( no deficit), I 2 (20% deficit) and I 3 (40% deficit) on mini-sprinkler (M 1 ) and micro-sprinkler (M 2 ) irrigation methods, while the conventional check basin method was taken as control. The maximum average yield was attained in irrigation level I 1 as 39.82 t/ha, whiles the minimum average yield of 24.97 t/ha was recorded for irrigation level I 3 . The maximum yield of 42.37 t/ha was recorded for treatment combination M 2 I 1 followed by treatment combinations M 1 I 1 (37.26 t/ha) and M 2 I 2 (36.03 t/ha). In control treatment the yield of 17.52 t/ha was recorded. The maximum water use efficiency 14.51 q/ha-cm was reported in treatment combination M 2 I 1 and the minimum water use was found 10.98 q/ha-cm in treatment combination M 1 I 3 . The fertilizer use efficiency followed the same trend. The maximum fertilizer use efficiency 176.12 was recorded in treatment combination M 2 I 1 and minimum 99.54 was obtained in treatment combination M 1 I 3 . In control fertilizer use efficiency was 73.01, which was lowest amongst all treatments.