Morphology, Structure and Potential of Bulbils Yield as a Planting Material of Onion in Tropical Region

Abstract

Onion is one of the essential horticultural commodities in Indonesia. The productivity of onion in 2019 is only 7.27 t/ha. Low productivity levels are a problem faced by farmers in Indonesia. One of the causes of low productivity is the low quality of planting material. The majority of onion cultivars can only be propagated vegetatively through bulbs and are known as sterile species. Therefore, other planting materials that have high production potential are needed. Bulbils are possible as planting material. Several onion varieties have a tendency to produce bulbils, one of which is the Tawangmangu Baru variety. Tawangmangu varieties of onion include the type of softneck that can form bulbils. This study aims to examine the morphological characteristics and structure of bulbils and to determine the yield potential of onion bulbils. Field experiments were carried out descriptively by planting onion bulbils. Each Tawangmangu Baru variety plant is capable of forming 1-5 bulbils. Bulbils that are formed have a small size with a single bulb shape. Bulbils and cloves have the same morphological and structural characteristics as the embryo. However, there is a difference in size between bulbils and clove bulbs, bulbils are smaller in length, size and weight. The longitudinal cross-section of the clove bulbs' bulbils is the first foliar leaf, leaf clove base storage. The cross-section of the bulbils and cloves consists of the carrier bundle, embryonic parenchyma, embryonic epidermis, bulb parenchyma. Growing bulbils require controlled environmental and climatic conditions. Bulbils can grow and produce bulbs with a productivity of 6 - 8 tons/ha. Bulbils have the potential to be developed as planting material.