Comparative performance of onion genotypes using sets and seedlings as planting material at Leh cold desert

The present investigation was carried out to study the effect of two different planting materials (set and seedling) and genotypes on bulb yield, its quality and vegetative growth. The experimental material comprised of two planting material and ten genotypes. The experiments were conducted at High Altitude Research, Defence Research and Development Organization, Leh during 2013 and 2014 in Randomized Block Design with five replications. There was significant effect of type of planting material and genotypes on all the studied parameters. Wall Brown genotype showed highest plant survival, chlorophyll content, days to maturity, polar diameter, equatorial diameter, average bulb weight and bulb yield when grown through set among all the genotypes. The highest plant height and number of leaves, leaf area, were obtained in the genotype Brown Spanish. The highest TSS and dry matter were observed in the genotype Red Cereole. The lowest double/deformed bulbs and neck thickness was observed in the genotypes Lock Roy and Red Cereole. The results indicated that all the genotypes under set planting performed better than seedling ones.