Onion Production Research Articles

Growth and Yield of Onion (<i>Allium cepa</i> L.) as Affected by Variable Rates of Poultry Manure and Mineral Nitrogen Fertilizer at Alage, Central Rift Valley Ethiopia

Onion is one of the important vegetable crops produced in many home gardens and in some extent commercially in different parts of Ethiopia. Therefore, this experiment was conducted at Alage Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia with the objectives of assessing the growth, yield, and quality response of onion to the variable rates of poultry manure and mineral nitrogen fertilizer. The experiment comprising of three nitrogen levels (0, 46, and 92 kg ha<sup>-1</sup>) and four levels of poultry manure (0, 5, 10, and 15 t ha<sup>-1</sup>) were laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The result indicated that leaf length, leaf number, days to maturity, bulb length, and bulb dry matter content were significantly influenced by main factors. Application of poultry manure at the rate of 15 t ha<sup>-1</sup> recorded the highest total bulb yield (63.33 t ha<sup>-1</sup>) and marketable bulb yield (62.52 t ha<sup>-1</sup>), but statistically, there was no significant difference between 15t ha<sup>-1</sup> and 10t ha<sup>-1</sup> poultry manure application. The results of the partial budget analysis showed that 15 t ha<sup>-1</sup> poultry manure application gave the highest marginal rate of returns. Since the highest bulb yield and maximum marginal rate of returns are obtained at 15 t ha<sup>-1</sup> poultry manure application, this rate can be recommended for onion production in the researched area, and areas having similar agro-ecologies. However, as the research is conducted for a single season and location, repeating the experiment over location and year will be required to give a conclusive recommendation.

Estimation of Cost and Income of Onion Production: A Case Study of Ballia District of Eastern Uttar Pradesh, India

The system of India’s economy predominantly depends on agriculture. It is contains attractive good qualities of calories. The present research study on entitled “Estimation of Cost and Income of Onion Production: A Case Study of Ballia District of Eastern Uttar Pradesh This research article focused on the following specific objectives are (1) To work out the cropping intensity, costs-return and input-output relationship of onion cultivation in the district and second objectives (2) To find out the constraints in production of onion confronted by Farmers. Multistage stages sampling technique were used for selection of respondent. Primary data was collected by personal interview methods with the use of pre structured and pre listed schedule questionnaire. Finally 100 farmers were selected randomly from four selected villages. The data were related to the Rabi season in the agriculture cropping year 2021-22. Overall average costs of cultivation of respondent were found per hectare to be Rs. 111493.95. The higher costs of cultivation were observed on medium farms to Rs.118430.40 fallowed by small farms and marginal as Rs.109070.72 and Rs.106980.72 per hectare respectively. Per quintal cost of production and ratio of cost of Input –output analysis were calculated cost A1 toC1, C2 and C3 basis.

Proportions of mineral and organomineral fertilizers in onion cultivation

Organomineral fertilizers is an innovation in agriculture, since it uses organic matter enriched with minerals. The combination of mineral phosphate and organomineral fertilization can contribute to the development of a more sustainable and economical fertilization program for the crop. So, organomineral fertilization can be an alternative or complement to mineral fertilization. However, the careful selection of fertilizer sources and doses is essential to increase productivity in the onion crop and finding proportions between different fertilizers can be a promising choice for sustainable agriculture. The aim of the present research was to evaluate the effect of different proportions of mineral and organomineral fertilizers on the development, production and post-harvest quality of onion bulbs, cv. Sublime F1, under Cerrado conditions. The experiment was carried out in the field, in Cristalina, GO, Brazil, in a randomized block design, with four replications. Six treatments were used: five proportions of mineral fertilizer (M) with organomineral (OM) and the control (without additional fertilization). It was evaluated: length, width and number of leaves; productivity; soluble solids content; titratable acidity; and loss of fresh mass. Data were submitted to analysis of variance (ANOVA), at 1% (p≤0.01) and 5% (p≤0.05) of significance, and means compared by Tukey and Dunnett tests (p≤0.01 and p≤0.05). The fertilization proportions were submitted to regression (p≤0.05). The proportion of 50%M50%OM promotes higher bulb average mass and class 4 onion productivity. The proportions of fertilizers did not alter the postharvest characteristics (total soluble solids and total acidity) of the onion, which were affected only by the time of storage. Cultivar Sublime F1 showed good development for the region, conditions and fertilizers used.

Farm Partial Budget Analysis of Onion (Allium Cepa L.) for the Application of Nitrogen and Spacing in Southern Tigray, Ethiopia

This study aimed to assess the economic viability of onion production under varying nitrogen fertilizer rates and intra-row spacing in the study area using partial budget analysis. The experiment employed a factorial arrangement in a randomized complete block design, conducted at Alamata Agricultural Research Center in Kara Adishabo in 2020. Experimental treatments included nitrogen fertilizer rates (0, 23, 46, 69, and 92 Kg N ha-1) and intra-row spacing (5, 10, and 15 cm) with three replications. The partial budget analysis indicated that the treatment combination of 69 kg N ha-1 and 5 cm intra-row spacing yielded the highest net benefit of birr 642602.3. However, based on the marginal rate of return, the recommendation of 46 Kg N ha-1 and 15 cm intra-row spacing, which had a lower net benefit, was rejected after residual analysis. Consequently, the recommended treatment combination is 69 Kg N ha-1 and 5 cm of intra-row spacing, contrary to the previous recommendation. Onion cultivation is a significant economic activity in the southern zone, playing a crucial role in the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. Consequently, understanding the production costs and analyzing the financial profitability of this on-farm business is essential in the study area to enhance crop productivity.

An economic analysis of onion production in Nalanda district of Bihar, India

An economic analysis of onion production in Nalanda district of Bihar, India

Comparative Profitability of Napier Fodder with Competitive Cash Crops in Selected Areas of Bangladesh

The research was carried out to investigate the scenario of the fodder-cultivated farmer along with the profitability of Napier fodder cultivation in comparison to main cash crops like rice, jute and onions and the challenges in fodder cultivation. This study was done by collecting primary data through a baseline survey from 60 livestock cum fodder cultivating farmers by random sampling techniques. This study was mainly done in Shahjadpur, Sirajganj and Santhia, Pabna from June 2022- July 2022. Data were entered, sorted, compiled, and analyzed by using a Microsoft Excel worksheet. Descriptive statistics were performed to test the differences among the variables of fodder, rice, jute, and onion production by using SPSS Software, IBM-25 Corporation. The results of this study shows that the average age range of farmers was 41.68% between the ages of 41 and 60, whereas 38.33% of farmers were between 20 and 40 years ages. In the study areas, 75.00% of farmers had minimum primary to graduation or above educational level. Overall 56.67% of farmer’s main occupation was agriculture in the selected areas. Only 25.00% of farmers knew feed processing. The Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR) in rice and onion were 1.81 and 1.66 in Shahjadpur and 1.78 and 1.52 in Santhia. In jute and fodder, BCR was 1.34 and 2.11 in Santhia whereas 1.28 and 2.00 in Shahjadpur, respectively. The profitability of fodder was higher than other selected cash crops. The maximum 80.00% of farmers had a lack of training on scientific ways of fodder production. This study concluded that fodder cultivation can play a significant role in more income generation in the studied milk pocket areas in comparison to rice, jute, and onion cultivation because they had a scarcity of fodder and high demand for it.

Pengoptimalan Masalah Nonlinier dalam Meminimumkan Biaya Produksi Menggunakan Separable Programming dan Algoritma Genetika

This research aims to form a nonlinear model of the objective function in the case of minimizing production costs and the number of products that must be produced by Lanting Bumbu An-Nisa. The application of the separable programming method is carried out by transforming the nonlinear objective function and constraints to produce a linear objective function and constraints which are then solved by applying the genetic algorithm method. The application of this method produces a solution that producers must produce 250 packages of onion flavored lanting, 750 packages of cheese flavored lanting, 500 packages of sweet and spicy lanting and 500 packages of corn flavored lanting with a production cost of IDR 12,706,037.29 . The nonlinear model formed in this problem was also solved directly using the genetic algorithm method which resulted in the solution that the total production of onion flavored lanting was 533 packages, 507 packages of cheese flavored lanting, 505 packages of sweet and spicy lanting and 455 packages of corn flavored lanting at a cost of the production that must be spent is IDR 11,213,943.55. The application of these two methods results in a difference in production costs of IDR 1,492,093.74. Based on these results, it shows that solving the nonlinear model directly using a genetic algorithm results in production costs that are 11.74% lower than the costs solved using separable programming.

Effect of NPS and Zinc Fertilizer Rates on Growth and Yield of Onion (Allium cepa L.) at Shewa Robit, North Shewa, Ethiopia

Onions, a crucial bulb crop cultivated globally, including in Ethiopia, face significant production challenges. These constraints encompass poor soil fertility, inappropriate fertilizer usage, limited availability of improved varieties, disease and insect pests, and the high costs associated with commercial fertilizers. Among these limitations, improper fertilizer application amounts and types play a pivotal role in restricting onion production. To address this, a field experiment was conducted during the 2020-2021 cropping season in the Shewa Robit district of the North Shewa zone. The study assessed the impact of NPS and Zn fertilizer rates on onion growth and yield. The treatments included four NPS fertilizer rates (0, 121, 242, and 363 kg/ha) and four levels of ZnSO4 (0, 0.25, 0.5, and 0.75% w/v). The experiment was laid out as a randomized complete block design in a factorial arrangement and replicated three times. The results demonstrated that the interaction effect of NPS and Zn fertilizers significantly influenced various onion parameters, including days to maturity, plant height, leaf length, marketable bulb yield, unmarketable bulb yield, and total bulb yield. The application of NPS at a rate of 242 kg/ha and 0.75% ZnSO4 led to the highest plant height (65.20 cm), leaf length (51.93 cm), marketable bulb yield (34.87 t/ha), and total bulb yield (35.04 t/ha). In addition, this treatment combination yielded the highest net benefit (908,628.89 ETB/ha) with an acceptable MRR (313.64%) compared to other treatments. Hence, it can be recommended for economical production of onion in the study area and areas with similar agroecologies.

Strategic mapping of onion supply chains: a comprehensive analysis of production and post-harvest processes in Northwest Ethiopia

IntroductionOnion is a significant vegetable crop in Ethiopia, serving as a source of income for smallholder farmers. However, various challenges in the production and post-harvest handling processes impede a consistent supply and marketing of the crop. This study focused on a comprehensive analysis of the onion supply chain, ranging from production to post-harvest handling, to address the existing production and marketing processes. The research initiative was undertaken to map the onion supply chain from farmers to consumers, intending to establish an improved marketing system in northwest Ethiopia.MethodsThe study area covered three onion-producing districts of the Amhara Region. Data collection involved interviews, observations, and market assessments using a structured questionnaire. Sampling followed a multistage technique. The analysis included descriptive statistics and food system analysis to map the supply chain and estimate marketing margins.Results and DiscussionPost-harvest loss in onion production presents a major obstacle in the farming sector, impacting its growth. The study identified six alternative channels for onion marketing where different actors are involved throughout the supply chain. Key stakeholders include farmers, local collectors, brokers, transporters, wholesalers, retailers, and consumers. Packaging and sorting activities are implemented at different supply chain stages to minimize post-harvest losses. Farm-level activities, including curing, sorting, grading, and ventilating, are crucial for reducing losses. The perishable nature of onion bulbs and the existing production and handling challenges exacerbate post-harvest losses. Efforts to address this challenge demand a comprehensive approach, integrating interventions across the value chain, from improved cultivars and storage infrastructure to enhanced market access strategies. Hence, stakeholders and governmental organizations are urged to promote onion value-addition technologies, including the establishment of processing industries. Such endeavors promote collaborative efforts across the onion supply chain, ensuring sustainable benefits for producers and traders.

INPUT AND OUTPUT LEVELS OF IRRIGATION PROGRAMMES FOR VEGETABLE PRODUCERS MANAGED BY THE GOVERNMENT AND FARMERS IN NORTH WEST NIGERIA

This study examined the level of vegetable production and estimate their production efficiency in North West Nigeria. In order to achieve this, a sample size of 360 vegetable farmers from Jigawa (110), Kano (137) and Katsina (113) States were randomly selected using a multi-stage sampling technique. The data were collected using structured questionnaires and interview scheduled. The tools of analysis include descriptive statistics and Cobb-Douglas stochastic frontier production model. The results of the production efficiency analysis showed that seed and labour significantly influenced the level of production of tomato, pepper and onion at 1% level of probability. There was also a strong correlation between the level of production and the type of irrigation scheme thereby confirming the variability in the level of vegetable production across government managed irrigation scheme (GMIS) and farmers managed irrigation scheme (FMIS). The significant deviation from the expected maximum level of production efficiency was impacted by the presence of technical inefficiency which in turn was determined by a number of factors On average, farmers under GMIS and FMIS were 64% and 67% technically efficient in tomato production, 81% and 69% technically efficient in pepper farming and 69% and 78% technically efficient in onion cultivation, respectively. The most important determinants of allocative inefficiency in vegetable production were the age of the household head, farming experience, type of irrigation scheme and the soil properties. On average, vegetable farmers under GMIS and FMIS were 85% and 65% allocative efficient in tomato production, 76% and 74% allocative efficient in pepper farming and 77% and 81% allocative efficient in onion cultivation, respectively. Consequently, it was derived that, on average, vegetable farmers under GMIS and FMIS were 55% and 50% economically efficient in tomato production, 64% and 50% economically efficient in pepper farming and 53% and 64% economically efficient in onion production, respectively. It was concluded that vegetable farming system under GMIS is more efficient and sustainable than FMIS, judging from efficiencies parameters. Inputs such as labour, seed and fertilizer were inelastic with respect to output, hence, farmers are encouraged to be train by extension agents in order to determine the most appropriate rate of inputs to use.

From weeds to natural enemies: implications of weed cultivation and biopesticides for organic onion production.

Weed management is challenging for vegetable crops that are highly sensitive to weed competition, such as onions. Thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) are major insect pests of onions, causing damage through feeding, and vectoring bacterial pathogens causing bulb rot. Both thrips and their associated pathogens are known to survive on many weed species in onion growing regions. Combining weeding with biopesticides may synergistically manage thrips and reduce disease prevalence. However, disturbances from weeding may negatively impact natural enemies. We estimated the effects of organic weed management and biopesticides on weed density, thrips and natural enemy activity, disease severity, and yield. The experiment was a randomized complete block design, with 4 replications of each weeding (control, tine-weeded twice, tine-weeded 4 times, and hand-weeded) and biopesticide (control, OxiDate 2.0, Serenade) combination. Arthropods were monitored using yellow sticky cards, and weed counts, marketable yield, and bulb rot prevalence were estimated. Hand-weeding resulted in the lowest weed density and thrips abundance. Additionally, hand-weeding produced a 9× higher yield compared to all other treatments. Significant interactions were observed between tine-weeding and biopesticide treatments on the prevalence of bulb rot. Natural enemy abundance was slightly negatively impacted by weeding, dependent on the year. DNA metabarcoding results showed high parasitoid diversity in this onion system and high numbers of reads for multiple genera containing important known biological control agents. Our study suggests hand-weeding is necessary in the southeast for maximum onion yield. Future research should focus on exploring the impact of management on natural enemy communities in onion systems on a large scale.

First Report of Fusarium proliferatum Causing Basal Rot and Dry Rot on Onion Bulbs (Allium cepa) in Spain.

Spain is the second largest onion-producing country in Europe with 1,465,430 tons and an export value of 584 million € in 2021 (MAPA 2022). In summer 2022 rot bulb symptoms were observed in five commercial fields and during the storage of cultivars 'Orlenda', 'Veleta', 'Mallory', 'Citation' and 'Pantano' from La Roda in Albacete (Castilla-La Mancha, Spain). Approximately 20% of sampled bulbs (113 bulbs analyzed) were affected with dry scales showing brown to dark brown rot on the top and basal plate of the onion bulbs. Occasionally, white to light pink fungal mycelium was observed between rotten scales and the plate basal. Sections of dry scales (5-10 mm) of the apical and basal plate were cut and placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA) and Komada medium (Komada 1975). From 5-day-old cultures typical white to light pink mycelium with microconidia in chains formed on polyphialides and macroconidia resembling Fusarium proliferatum (Nelson et al. 1983). To confirm the pathogen identity, partial translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF1) and RNA polymerase II subunit 2 (RPB2) genes were amplified and sequenced using primers reported in O´Donnell et al. (1998) and Samuels et al. (2002) for TEF1 and Liu et al. (1999) for RPB2. In BLAST analyses, the sequences showed 100% identity to the corresponding region of F. proliferatum (KP964908 and JF740801). Sequences were submitted to GenBank, and registered accession numbers are OR061014-16 for TEF1 and OR061017-19 for RPB2. Pathogenicity tests were conducted by inoculating healthy onion bulbs (five replicates per treatment) on the apical and basal plate by placing a 7-day old mycelial plug (10 mm diameter) from PDA cultures. Two onion cultivars ('Pandero' by Nunhems USA and 'Mallory' by Bejo The Netherlands) were inoculated separately with three isolates (PRO1, PRO9, PRO12). Control bulbs were inoculated with sterile PDA. The experiment was carried out twice. All bulbs were placed in a moist chamber and incubated at 25°C in the dark. After 15 days, bulbs inoculated with mycelial plugs showed similar symptoms to those of the original diseased bulbs. Browning dry rot was observed on the apical and basal plate of bulbs. When bulbs were cut longitudinally inner progressing rot was observed. Control bulbs remained symptomless. In both experiments, F. proliferatum was successfully re-isolated and morphologically confirmed from symptomatic bulbs to fulfill Koch's postulates. These results confirmed that isolates PRO1, PRO9 and PRO12 were the pathogen causing basal and dry rot on onion bulbs. This pathogen has recently been identified in China on Allium cepa L. var. agrogatum (Liu et al. 2022) and Idaho on onion (Beck et al. 2020) and could become a serious threat to onion production in Spain, reducing the quality and yield of onion.

Biological Control and Habitat Management for the Control of Onion Thrips, Thrips tabaci Lindeman (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), in Onion Production in Quebec, Canada.

Onion thrips (Thrips tabaci) can pose a significant threat to onion crops, causing leaf damage, reduced bulb size and quality, and yield loss during severe infestations. Conventional insecticide use has been the primary method for managing this pest species, but the efficacy of this approach is inconsistent. Furthermore, emerging pest resistance is a growing concern in some regions. This two-year field study aimed to assess the effectiveness of several pest management strategies in controlling onion thrips populations and limiting their impact on onion yields. The strategies tested consisted of habitat manipulations (including flower strips and straw mulch), biological control agents (Stratiolaelaps scimitus, Neoseiulus cucumeris, Amblyseius swirskii, and Beauveria bassiana), as well as physical barrier control methods (exclusion nets, kaolin, and mineral oil). Habitat manipulation techniques, particularly the use of flower strips, reduced thrips populations by up to 50% and increased onion yields by 25%. In contrast, exclusion nets had a detrimental effect on onion yields, and the other alternative control methods produced results comparable to those obtained for untreated controls. When used alone, biological control agents were not effective at maintaining thrips populations below economically damaging levels. This study offers valuable insights into effective and sustainable pest management practices for the onion industry.

From petals to seeds: Understanding the role of hymenopteran and dipteran pollinators in the reproductive success of onion (Allium cepa L.)

An experiment was conducted to assess the pollinator community of onion (Allium cepa L.) as well to find the pollinators contributing to a higher onion seed production. Fifteen insect pollinator species belonging to two orders and two families were found to be visiting onion flowers. The dwarf honeybee, Apis florea F. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) was most frequent pollinator among bees. The maximum visitation rate was recorded in the case of Eristalinus aeneus S. (Diptera: Syrphidae), while the maximum stay time was recorded for A. florea. For observing the pollination effectiveness, we used pollinator exclusive approach, and four pollination trials were maintained i.e., 100%, 50%, 25% and 0% pollination. Pollinator effectiveness was accessed in terms of yield parameters such as umbel weight, number of seed and seed weight. Compared to 0% pollination, plants with 100% and 50% pollination levels showed 44- and 19-times higher seed production in onion, respectively. Six major pollinators were tested for their pollination efficiency. The single visit efficiency in terms of the number of seeds showed that plants with A. florea pollination showed higher seed yield. There was an increase in the number of seeds and seed weight per umbel, proving that A. florea is an effective pollinator in onion production. Moreover, syrphid flies also contributed to the onion seed production, though they were less efficient pollinators.

Assessment of onion farming practices and purple blotch disease knowledge among farmers in varied agro-ecological zones of Nyeri County, Kenya

Onion (Allium cepa L.) is the second most produced vegetable globally, following tomato and plays a vital role in both cuisines and daily diets. However, the threat of diseases, such as purple blotch caused by Alternaria porri, poses a substantial risk to onion production, particularly in Nyeri County, Kenya. Despite its critical impact on farming, there is a lack of information on farmers' knowledge of purple blotch in this region. This study aimed to assess the onion farming practices and farmers' understanding of purple blotch disease across various agro-ecological zones (AEZs) in Nyeri County. Specifically, the study examines farmers' demographics, cultivated onion varieties, and their knowledge of purple blotch disease. Farms were selected using cluster random sampling. Data were collected from 100 onion farmers through semi-structured questionnaires, and statistical analysis was performed using the chi-square test in Scientific Analysis System (SAS) version 9.4 at α=0.05. The findings revealed that while the Rucet F1 onion variety was popular among the farmers (52%), there is no significant association (X2 (6, 100) = 11.947, p = 0.063) between the choice of variety and AEZs. Similarly, the preferred source of onion seeds, mainly Agroshop (84%), showed insignificant association (X2 (9, 100) = 7.153, p = 0.621) with AEZs. Despite 65% of farmers reporting knowledge about onion diseases, there is no significant association (p > 0.05) between their awareness of purple blotch and AEZs. In conclusion, the study highlights a significant gap in farmers' understanding of purple blotch disease, emphasizing the need for training programs to enhance disease identification skills. Early detection can empower farmers to implement proactive measures, ultimately improving onion productivity. This study recommends diversifying onion varieties for disease resilience, promoting awareness and training on purple blotch identification, engaging women and youths in farming, and fostering collaborative networks for ongoing knowledge exchange and improvement in onion cultivation in Nyeri County.

Evaluation of the Off-season Production of Bulb Onion (Allium cepa L.) in Mongar

Bulb onion is one of the important commercial crops cultivated by the farmers in all the districts, and onion has been identified as one of the mandatory vegetable crops in Bhutan. The crop requires about five to six-month growing period from sowing till harvest. The harvest season coincides with the onset of the monsoon season and post-harvest losses due to high humidity and poor post-harvest management are high. With steady demand for the crop throughout the year and low domestic production, the current production cannot meet the market demand. Hence, substantial quantities of bulb onion are imported. Promotion of off-season bulb onion production with the harvest season during the dry season could minimize post-harvest losses and make it available in the market all year round. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate two bulb onion varieties, namely Pune Red and Pink onion 1358 for off-season production. The experiment was conducted at Lingmethang (600 masl) and Wengkhar (1650 masl) in the 2022 cropping season in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications and two treatments. The results indicate a significant difference (P < 0.05) in bulb height, weight, plant height, and neck diameter but no significant difference in bulb width. The maximum bulb weight 306.7 g was recorded at the Lingmethang station in the Pink 1358 variety. The yield obtained was 18.68 MT/acre for Pink 1358, 19.20 MT/acre for Pune Red at Lingmethang station, and 13.35 MT/acre for Pink 1358, 13.08 MT/acre for Pune Red at Wengkhar station. However, there was no significant difference (P >0.05) in yield in both stations. This study found that bulb onion production is feasible between August to March months in the mid-elevations upto 1650 masl. However, the best location for bulb onion production would be in the lower elevation where the yields are higher compared to the mid-elevation.

Effect of Transplanting Date and Harvesting Period on Bulb Production of Winter Onion (Allium cepa L.)

Climate change has brought about unpredictable temperature fluctuations and altered rainfall patterns, which directly impact onion cultivation. Adjustment in planting and harvesting schedules in the context of changing climate and environmental factors is not only academically significant but also holds practical implications for agriculture, resource management, climate adaptation, economic development, and food security in Bangladesh. The present study was carried out to observe the influence of the transplanting and harvesting time on maximizing onion production. The experiment followed a RCB design with three replications, involving the cultivation of BARI Piaz-1 as the test crop with varying transplanting dates on November 1st, November 15th, and December 1st, and harvesting periods at 120, 130, and 140 days after planting (DAP). The study's results indicated that the choice of transplanting date and harvesting period had significantly influenced onion yield and yield attributes. Improved performances, including increase in plant height, number of leaves per plant, neck diameter, bulb diameter, bulb length, bulb weight, and overall yield were observed when onions were transplanted on November 15th and harvested after 130 days from planting. The highest yields, specifically 10.32 t/ha in 2018 and 11.33 /ha in 2019, were achieved under this conditions. Conversely, the lowest yields 6.28 t/ha in 2018 and 6.70 /ha in 2019 were obtained when onions were transplanted on December 1st and harvested after 120 days from planting. Additionaly, early planting (November 1st) exhibited a higher incidence of bolting, while late planting (December 1st) showed a higher disease incidence. Therefore, optimizing transplanting dates to align with November 15th and a 130-day harvesting period proved to be the most effective strategy for maximizing onion yield and other attributes, while late planting and early harvesting adversely affected these key attributes.

An Economic Analysis of Onion Marketing in Uruzgan Province of Afghanistan

The study was carried out to estimate the marketable surplus, marketing cost, price spread, and marketing efficiency of onion in three districts of Uruzgan province. The data were collected from 120 farmers, 120 consumers, 30 wholesalers, and 30 retailers in 2023. The findings showed that the average production of onion was 5597.08 kg/Jerib. After holding 1.84 per cent for domestic purposes, the farmers were left with 98.16 per cent as a marketable surplus. The price spread across different marketing channels showed an inverse correlation with the number of intermediaries involved. Among market channels, Channel-II (Farmer-Retailer-Consumer) had the highest marketing cost. As marketing costs and margins increased, the producers' share in consumers' rupee decreased. The marketing efficiency decreased with the number of intermediaries. The net price received by the farmer was highest in the direct marketing Channel-III (AFN 5.65 per kg of onion). Lack of grading, storage, and transportation facilities were the significant constraints in marketing onion in the province.

Determining the Best Rate of Blended NPKSZnB Fertilizer for Optimum Onion Yield and Yield Components in Northwestern Tigray, Ethiopia

Aim: The nutrient content of current fertilizer recommendations is unbalanced and is based on a very general and blanket recommendation for all soil and crop types, and their economic benefit is low. Therefore, this study was initiated to validate the recommendations regarding blended fertilizers applied to the soil and to identify the best fertilizer dose that ensures optimal yield and maximum economic return. Study Hypotheses: significance effect of blended NPKSZnB fertilizer on onion yield and yield components. Study Design: The experiment was designed using a randomized complete block design with three replications and seven treatments. Place and Duration of the study: The field experiment was conducted in the off-season of 2018 and 2019 in Tahtay Koraro (two farmers), and Laelay adyabo (two farmers) districts of in northern Ethiopia. Methodology: Seven treatments with NPKSZnB fertilizer rates (25, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250 and 300 kg·ha-1) were tested under irrigation conditions. Thus, for each plot nitrogen from Urea was applied at a rate of 150 kg ha-1. Surface soil samples were collected before planting onion harvesting at a depth of 0-20 cm to analyze selected soil chemical properties such as pH, extractable electric conductivity (ECe), cation exchange capacity (CEC), total nitrogen (TN), available P and exchangeable bases (K, Mg, Ca, and Na). Results: The application of different doses of NPKSZnB under irrigation conditions had a statistically significant (P < 0.05) impact on onion phenology, yield and yield components. The highest average onion yield (10,329 and 19,196 kg ha-1) was obtained after applying compound fertilizer doses of 200 and 250 kg ha-1 in Teahtay Koraro and Laelay Adyabo districts, respectively. However, the use of NPKSZnB fertilizer at a dose of 100 and 50 kg ha-1 for onion cultivation under irrigated conditions in T/koraro and L/adyabo districts was found to be economically viable. Thus, growers in both districts should use NPKSZnB compound fertilizer at these rates for onion production and productivity. Conclusion: Therefore, farmers in both districts should use NPKSZnB compound fertilizer at these rates for optimum onion production.

Effect of Deficit Irrigation and Mulch on Field and Water Productivity of Tomato Under Drip Irrigation at Ambo Agricultural Research Center, West Shewa, Ethiopia

Ethiopia produces far fewer tomatoes than the world average due to poor management techniques. It was found that the soil moisture and agroclimatic conditions affected how tomatoes reacted to water management during irrigation. In order to assess the impacts of irrigation level and mulch types on the yield, yield components, water productivity, and economic return of drip irrigated tomato production, a field experiment was carried out at the Ambo Agricultural Research Center Farm Site in 2021–2023. The experiment was a two-factor factorial experiment arranged in a randomized complete block design. The two factors were the four irrigation levels (55%ETc, 85%Etc, 70%ETc and 100%ETc) and three mulch types (no mulch, wheat straw mulch, and white plastic mulch). The two-year data on fruit yield, yield components, and water productivity were subjected to analysis of variance using SAS 9.4 software with a significance level (p≤ 0.05). least significant difference test was applied for statistically significant parameters to compare means among the treatments. The best soil moisture depletion levels, as determined by statistical analysis, are 100% ETc, 85% ETc, and 70% ETc, with marketable fruit yields of 56,405 kg/ha, 45,331 kg/ha, and 41,769 kg/ha, respectively. As for mulch types, the best practices are wheat straw mulch and white plastic mulch, with marketable fruit yields of 45,721 kg/ha and 44,514 kg/ha, respectively, for the study area. However, the results of the partial budget analysis results showed that, with net incomes for onion production in the research region of 1,350,930 ETB/ha and 1,367,071 ETB/ha, respectively, 85% ETc and wheat straw mulch are the economically optimal methods.