Studies on Influence of Growth Retardants in Increasing Yield and Quality in Bellary Onion (Allium cepa var. cepa)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during rabi (2017) at the Department of Horticulture, Agricultural College and Research Institute, Killikulam to study the effect of growth retardants on yield and quality of bellary onion. The field trial was laid out during December 2018 and the crop was transplanted during February 2019. The plants were sprayed with plant growth retardants in different concentrations viz., Chlormequat 500 ppm, Chlormequat 1000 ppm, Mepiquat chloride 500 ppm, Mepiquat chloride 1000 ppm, Brassinolide 0.250 ppm, Brassinolide 0.500 ppm, Daminozide 500, ppm, Daminozide 1000 ppm and Control. All the treatments showed significant difference for various growth and yield attributing characters. Mepiquat chloride (500 ppm) reduced the number of days taken for maturity (127.30) significantly over control (135.66). Marketable yield of bulb per plot is directly and positively correlated with the bulb weight and the maximum was recorded with Mepiquat chloride @ 500 ppm (17.97 kg) and minimum recorded in control (12.45 kg). Hence, it is concluded that that the foliar spray of Mepiquat chloride 500 ppm improved the bulb weight and the resultant bulb yield per hectare.