Growth, Yield and Economic Advantage of Onion (Allium cepa L.) Varieties in Response to NPSB Fertilizer and Planting Pattern

Abstract

Haphazard and low soil fertility, low yielding verities and poor agronomic practices are among the major factors constraining onion production in the central rift valley of Ethiopia. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted in East Showa Zone of Adami Tulu Jido Combolcha district in central rift valley areas at ziway from October 2021 to April 2022 to identify appropriate rate of NPSB fertilizer and planting pattern of onion varieties. The experiment was laid out in split plot design of factorial arrangement in three replications. The main effect of NPSB blended fertilizer rates and varieties (red coach and red king) significantly (p<0.01) influenced plant height, leaf length, leaf diameter, leaf number and fresh leaf weight, shoot dry matter per plant, and harvest index. Total dry biomass, bulb diameter, neck diameter, average fresh bulb weight, bulb dry matter, marketable bulb yield, and total bulb yield were significantly (p<0.01) influenced only by the main effect of NPSB blended fertilizer rates. In addition, unmarketable bulb yield was statistically significantly affected (p≥0.05) by the blended fertilizer rates and planting pattern. Moreover, days to 90% maturity of onion was affected by the main factor of NPSB fertilizer rate, variety and planting pattern. The non-fertilized plants in the control treatment were inferior in all parameters except unmarketable bulb yield and harvest index. Significantly higher marketable bulb yield (41 t ha-1) and total bulb yield (41.33 t ha-1) was recorded from 300 kg ha-1 NPSB blended fertilizer rate applied. Double row planting method and hybrid red coach onion variety had also gave higher growth and yields. The study revealed that the highest net benefit of Birr, 878,894 with lest cost of Birr 148,006 by the combinations of 150 kg blended NPSB ha-1 with double row planting method (40cm*20cm*7cm) and red coach variety which can be recommendable for higher marketable bulb yield and economic return of hybrid onion for small scale farmers in the study area. Also, for resource full producers (investors), highest net benefit of Birr 1,205,372 with higher cost (159,628 Birr) by application of 300 kg NPSB ha-1 is recommended as a second option. However, the research should be replicated both in season and areas to more verify the recommendations.