Shallot Yield, Quality and Shelf-life as Affected by Nitrogen Fertilizer

Abstract

Shallot (Allium cepa var ascalonicum Baker) can be a substitute where bulb onion (A. cepa L. var cepa) does not do well. However, production and productivity of shallot can be limited due to poor soil fertility; lack of improved production techniques; unimproved varieties, and high post-harvest losses. Farmers in northeastern Ethiopia rarely apply fertilizers to shallot. A field study was undertaken in that region in 2007/2008 to determine effects of nitrogen fertilizer on yield and shelf-life of shallot. Treatments were 0, 50, 100, and 150 kg·ha−1 N and cvs. ‘Huruta,’ ‘Negelle,’ ‘Dz-sht-68,’ and a local landrace. Application of 150 kg·ha−1 of N increased marketable and total bulb yields by 26% over the control. The highest and the lowest marketable bulb yields were for ‘Dz-sht-68’ and the local landrace, respectively. In storage nitrogen fertilization increased bulb weight loss in all cultivars, with weight loss being highest for the local landrace. Nitrogen fertilization at 150 kg·ha−1 N increased bulb rotting up to 79% over the control. Shallot shelf-life was of short duration. Application of 100 kg·ha−1 N was optimal for shallot bulb production without affecting bulb quality.