A Study on Impact of Bulb Treatment and Spacing Patterns on Seed Yield Components of Onion (Allium cepa var. Cepa) at Larena, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

Field experiment was conducted at Humbo Larena, wolaita zone during the 2012/2013 dry season, to study the effect of bulb treatment and spacing patterns on seed yield components of onion in the semi-arid zone of Ethiopia. Treatments consisted of a factorial combination of four levels of bulb types [whole bulbs, cut (topped) bulbs, ash-treated cut (topped) bulbs, and fungicide-treated cut (topped) bulbs] and four levels of spacing patterns (50 x 30 x 20 cm, 60 x 30 x 20 cm, 40 x 20 cm, and 50 x 20 cm) laid out in randomized complete block design replicated three times. The onion variety known as Bombay Red was used as a test crop.  Results revealed that a day to 50% flowering was significantly influenced by bulb treatments but not spacing patterns. The main effects of bulb treatment and spacing pattern significantly influenced, plant height, number of umbels per plant and umbel diameter. Treatments were interacted to significantly influence percent stand count and number of flowering stalks per plant.

Keywords: Onion (Allium cepa var. Cepa), Bulb Treatment, Spacing Patterns, Ethiopia