Effect of integrated nutrient management on some growth characteristics of onion (Allium cepa L.)

The present investigation entitled “Effect of integrated nutrient management on growth characterstics of onion (Allium cepa L.)” was carried out at the Vegetable Research Farm, Department of Vegetable Science, Dr. Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, (HP) during Rabi 2014-15 with the objective to study the effect of different integrated nutrient management treatments on growth of onion cv. ‘Palam Lohit’. In this study, 10 treatments, viz. T1: Control: RDF (FYM @ 250 q ha-1 and NPK- 125:76:60 kg ha-1), T2: RDF (NPK) + VC @ 8 t ha-1, T3: 75 % RDF + Azotobacter, T4: 75 % RDF + Azotobacter + AM, T5: 50 % RDF + Azotobacter, T6: 50 % RDF + Azotobacter + AM, T7: VC @ 8 t ha-1 + Azotobacter + AM, T8: FYM @ 25 t ha-1 + Azotobacter + AM, T9: VC @ 4 t ha-1 + Azotobacter + AM and T10: FYM @ 12.5 t ha-1 + VC @ 4 t ha-1 + Azotobacter + AM, were compared in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) having three replications with a plot size of 3.0 х 1.5 m2 and a plant spacing of 15 cm х 10 cm. The observations were recorded on leaf length (cm), no. of leaves per plant, no. of bulbs per plot. The results revealed that T4 (75 % RDF + Azotobacter + AM) was rated as the best treatment for majority of characters like leaf length (cm), no. of leaves per plant, no. of bulbs per plot. Therefore, on the basis of present study, it is concluded that application of biofertilizers (Azotobacter and AM) in combination with 75 % RDF can be suggested cost effective combination for enhanced growth of onion in mid hills of Himachal Pradesh.