Abstract
The effect of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) supply on the growth and nutrient uptake of intermediate-day onions (Allium cepa L.) was investigated in a double cropping system of rice and onion in which rice straw had been annually applied. The experiment consisted of three sets of treatments: N (0, 120, 240, 360 kg·ha−1 N), P (0, 18, 35, 52 kg·ha−1), and K (0, 67, 133, 200 kg·ha−1) with the addition of 8.0 t·ha−1 of decomposed pig manure. The rice straw was incorporated with tillage after harvest. Foliage weight of the onion plant was affected by N rate on 21 Apr. and on 23 May. Bulb weight was also influenced by N rate on 23 May and at harvest. The only difference (P ≤ 0.05) in onion yield was observed between the zero N rate and all the other N levels. Soil pH was correlated with rate of N fertilization. Soil NO3-N for 240 and 360 kg·ha−1 N rates ranged from 36.6 to 113.7 and 49.9 to 148.6 mg·kg−1, respectively, which was at least twice as high as that at 120 kg·ha−1 N rate. The highest fertilizer use efficiency of nitrogen was 36.0% at 120 kg·ha−1 followed by 240 kg·ha−1 at 28.0% and 360 kg·ha−1 at 20.6%. There was no clear effect of P or K rates on P or K concentration in the onion bulbs. K concentration and uptake in the onion leaf tissue increased with higher K rates. In conclusion, compost and rice straw provided sufficient P and K to grow onions without additional P and K fertilizer, and under these conditions, the fertilizer level of 120 kg·ha−1 N produced as much onion bulb yield as higher N levels.
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