Effect of cultural practices on quality and yield of onion (Allium cepa L. Var. Safid e Paisaye)

Onion (Allium cepa L.) is among the most cultivated vegetable crops in the world. Afghanistan is thought to be the origin as several local and wild varieties are found in different parts of the country. Safid e Paisaye is a local variety grown in central parts of Afghanistan in the Ghorband valley. This variety has long storability and high market demand among restaurants in the region, but little research has been done to increase the quality and its availability to the market to increase its market share in Afghanistan. Conducted under supervision of Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Noida, India, at Agriculture Faculty Research Farm of Kabul University, this investigation looks at plough depth, land preparation methods, and planting date on quality and yield of onion bulb; it also studied other cultural practices including irrigation and fertilization dose and frequency. The parameters studied in this investigation include neck diameter (cm), bulb diameter (cm), neck to bulb ratio, bulb weight (gr), bulb volume (cm3), bulb density (gr/cm3), Total Soluble Solids (TSS) (Brix), firmness (Kg/cm2), marketable yield (MT/Ha), and total yield (MT/Ha). The data revealed that planting date has significant influence on bulb quality and yield of onion. The highest bulb diameter (6.95 cm), bulb weight (121 gr), bulb volume (128 cm3), marketable yield (32.54 MT/Ha), and total yield (34.24 MT/Ha) and the lowest neck to bulb ratio (0.04) were recorded for the first planting date (seed sown in nursery on 10 March - seedlings planted in field on 10 May). Land ...