Performance of different onion varieties on yield and quality attributes under organic management condition
Rupesh Kundu
The present study has been conducted during the rabi-summer season of 2014-2015 at the experimental farm of Integrated Rural &Tribal Development and Management Faculty Centre of Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda University, Morabadi, Ranchi, Jharkhand. Different organic growing conditions were used as treatments viz. Shasyagavya -10% with Straw Mulching as (T1), Only Straw Mulching as (T2) and Inherent Organic Control as (T3). Four varieties of onion viz. Sukhsagar (V1), Arka Niketan (V2), Agrifound Dark Red (V3), and Agrifound Light Red (V4) were used as planting material for the experiment by adopting Split Plot Design with three replications. Several yield and quality attributing characters of the crop were studied. Results found to be significant in all of the studied characters of both yield and quality parameters. Maximum values for polar diameter (4.89cm) in T1 of V1, equatorial diameter (5.10 cm) in T1 of V2, plant height (60.95 cm) in T1 of V4, leaf number (8.71) in T1 of V2 , neck diameter (1.45 cm) in T1of V2, dry weight (10.82 g/100g fresh weight) in T1 of V2, harvest index (86.86%) in T1 of V2, TSS (14.730 Brix) in T1 of V3, ascorbic acid (162.90 mg/ 100 g) in T1 of V3, total sugar (6.16%) in T1 of V2, reducing sugar (1.63%) in T1 of V1 and terrible acidity (0.58%) in T2 of V4 were recorded in different organic growing condition. Highest yield of onion (23.75 t/ha) was recorded in T1 of V2 (Arka Niketan). From the study, it was revealed that the T1 of V2 the best treatment in terms of B:C ratio (6.14) followed by the T1 of V3 (5.96), T1 of V1 (5.49), T1 of V4 (5.31) as against the lowest T3 of V2 (1.32). From the study it was found that T1 (Shasyagavya 10% with straw Mulching) as the best treatment and V2 (Arka Niketan) as the best performer variety under organic management conditions than the remaining three varieties.
Key Words: Onion; Allium cepa; Sukhsagar; Arka Niketan; Agrifound Dark Red; Agrifound Light Red; Organic Farming; Yield; Quality; Benefit: Cost ratio.