EFFECT OF NITROGEN AND ZINC ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF ONION (BARI Peyaj- 6)

Abstract

The research work was conducted at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University Farm, Shere-Bangla

Nagar, Dhaka-1207 during the Rabi season of December 2021. The experiment was undertaken to investigate the effect of nitrogen and zinc on the growth and yield of onion. The experiment comprised of two factors; Factor A: 0 kg/ha (N 0 ), 60 kg/ha (N 1 ), 100 kg/ha (N 2 ), 140 kg/ha (N 3 ) and Factors B: Levels of zinc (3 levels) 0 kg/ha (Zn 0 ), 2 kg/ha (Zn 1 ), 4 kg/ha (Zn 2 ). The two factors experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Results of the experiment revealed that N and Zn significantly influenced yield parameters and yield of BARI Peyaj-6. The nitrogen level of N 3 (140 kg/ha) gave the tallest plant (48.29 cm) while the N 0 (0 kg/ha) treatment gave the shortest plant (43.83 cm). The maximum (8.02) number of leaves, highest leaf length (39.87 cm), highest length of bulb (4.81 cm), highest diameter of the bulb (4.40 cm), maximum stem diameter (1.50 cm), fresh leaf weight (22.82 g), dry leaf weight (11.94 g), maximum (48.70 g) fresh bulb, maximum (3.53 kg/plot) yield, and maximum (17.56 t/ha) total yield also performed by N 3 (140 kg/ha). Among all the growth as well as yield and yield attributing traits Zn 2 (4 kg Zn/ha) performed better than the other treatments. Among different combined treatments, N 3 Zn 2 (140 kg N/ha and 4 Kg Zn/ha) performed the best in respect of all yield and yield contributing characteristics while the lowest value of those parameters was observed in the control treatment combination of N 0 ii Zn 0 (kg N/ha and 0 kg Zn/ha). The combined effect of nitrogen and zinc was also significant in respect of several traits. However, the maximum height (54.32cm) of the plant, the highest (9.85) number of leaves, leaf length (43.17 cm), stem diameter (1.58) of the plant, maximum fresh leaf weight (25.30 g), dry leaf weight (13.56 g, maximum length of bulb (5.23 cm), highest diameter of the bulb (4.81 cm), maximum fresh bulb weight (57.68 g) of the, highest yield (3.96 kg/plot) of the plant, and the maximum total yield (19.78 t/ha) of the plant also found in N 3 Zn 2 (140 kg N/ha and 4 kg Zn/ha) treatment combination. Therefore, it is concluded that the treatment combination N 3 Zn 2 (140 kg N/ha and 4 kg Zn/ha) may be recommended for maximizing the yield of BARI Peyaj-6 at Tejgaon series soil.