EFFECT OF NITROGEN AND PLANT SPACING ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF ONION (ALLIUM CEPA L.) IN AFGHANISTAN

Abstract

The present research was conducted in the research farm of Takhar University, Afghanistan. The study was carried out in 2021, to document the Effect of Nitrogen and Plant spacing on the Growth and Yield of Onion and it is one of the essential bulbous vegetables. The experiment was laid out in Split Plot Design having three replications were used. Four different doses of nitrogenous fertilizer namely 0, 100, 125, and 150 kg/ha were applied. The treatments also included three levels of spacing (S) viz., S1= 7.5 cm × 15 cm, S2= 10 cm × 15 cm, and S3= 12.5 cm × 15 cm. These treatments were implemented using a split-plot design. As a result, the spacing had a significant effect on biomass and marketable yields, and the spacing of 7.5 cm×15 cm resulted in the maximum marketable yield of 31.24 t/ha likely due to a higher plant population. Various nitrogen doses as well as affected plant characteristics and yield. The maximum biomass yield of 62.52 t/ha was recorded with 150 kg nitrogen/ha. Whereas the highest marketable yield 38.62 t/ha was observed with 125 kg nitrogen/ha. In conclusion, spacing and different nitrogen concentrations had significant impacts on plant characteristics and yield. These findings highlight the importance of enhancing spacing and nitrogen doses to maximize crop yields.