Abstract
The present study deals with the study of yield response factor (Ky) for onion crop cultivated under deficit irrigation for Rahuri region (Maharashra). The field experiment was conducted to determine the yield response factor of the onion (Allium cepa L.) cv. N-2-4-1 crop under the deficit irrigation approach during summer season of 2012 and 2013 at Instructional Farm of the Department of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, Dr. Annasaheb Shinde College of Agricultural Engineering, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth Rahuri. Experiment was carried out in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with 27 treatments and two replications based on different combinations of the quantity of water stress during different crop growth stages. Water applied per irrigation and soil moisture contents before and after irrigation were monitored throughout the season, while onion bulbs were harvested at the end of season and weighed. Average daily crop water use (crop consumptive use) were estimated from the soil moisture content using the soil moisture depletion method. The seasonal yield response factor (Ky) was obtained by relating relative yield decreases to relative crop water use deficit by the regression analysis. The relative yield decreases of the onion crop were proportionally greater with increase in evapotranspiration deficit. It shows the response of yield with respect to the decrease in water consumption. In other words, it explains the decrease in yield caused by the per unit decrease in water consumption. Seasonal crop response factor for onion crop was determined as 1.58, 1.48 and 1.54 during 2012, 2013 and average of both year (2012 &2013) respectively. The yield response factors developed in this study could be used in irrigation design and scheduling for onion in the study area.
Highlights
Onion (Allium cepa L.) is one of the important vegetable crops commercially grown in India.India is the second largest producer of onion in the world, only to China
The average productivity of the world is 19.1 MT/ha while India being the second major onion producing country in the world has a productivity of 14.2 MT/ha (Source FAO Website: March 2012 and Indian Horticulture Database 2011)
A research gap in the region where onion is produced in Maharashtra is the knowledge of water requirement of the onion crop under deficit irrigation
Summary
Onion (Allium cepa L.) is one of the important vegetable crops commercially grown in India.India is the second largest producer of onion in the world, only to China. Maharashtra is the leading onion grower and producer state in the country which accounts 39 per cent of the total area and 32.5 per cent national production followed by Karnataka, Gujarat etc. A research gap in the region where onion is produced in Maharashtra is the knowledge of water requirement of the onion crop under deficit irrigation. In order to determine the yield response factor of onion crop for Rahuri region (Maharashtra) the present study was carried out by raising the onion crop under different regimes of deficit irrigation approach. It is anticipated that the information generated in this study will be useful for developing crop water requirements for irrigated onion under deficit irrigation regimes and for the overall improvement of irrigation water management for onion in the study area
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
