Effect of Different Levels of Phosphorus and Zeolite on Yield, Nutrient Uptake and Phosphorus Use Efficiency of Rabi Onion Grown on an Inceptisols
A field experiment was conducted at Post Graduate Institute Instructional Farm of Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri, during rabi 2017-2018 to study the effect of different levels of phosphorus and zeolite on yield and its use efficiency and availability of nutrients. There were eight treatments replicated thrice in RBD. The significantly highest bulb with 150% of the recommended dose of P2O5 175 kg along with 120 kg ha-1 of zeolite application followed by the zeolite @ 120 kg ha¬¬¬¬¬¬-1 + 125% P2O5of RDF. However, the highest phosphorus use efficiency was observed in the treatment with 75% P2O5 of RDF and recommended dose of nitrogen and potassium fertilizers along with 120 kg ha-1zeolite and 20 t ha-1 farm yard manure. The available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium were significantly higher in treatment with zeolite @ 120 kg ha-1 + 150% P2O5 of RDF. Thus recommended dose of phosphatic fertilizer can be reduced by 25% when used along with 120 kg ha-1zeolite and recommended dose of nitrogen and potassium fertilizers for obtaining optimum yield of onion.