Impact of Potassium on the Growth and Yield Contributing Attributes of Onion (Allium cepa L.)
Samra Aftab
Agricultural Research Station Baffa, Mansehra, KPK, Pakistan
F. S. Hamid
National Tea and High Value Crops Research Institute, Shinkiari, Mansehra, KPK, Pakistan
Samavia Farrukh
Department of Biochemistry, Hazara University, Mansehra, KPK, Pakistan
Abdul Waheed
National Tea and High Value Crops Research Institute, Shinkiari, Mansehra, KPK, Pakistan
Naveed Ahmed *
National Tea and High Value Crops Research Institute, Shinkiari, Mansehra, KPK, Pakistan
Nadia Khan
National Tea and High Value Crops Research Institute, Shinkiari, Mansehra, KPK, Pakistan
Seemab Ali
National Tea and High Value Crops Research Institute, Shinkiari, Mansehra, KPK, Pakistan
Madiha Bashir
National Tea and High Value Crops Research Institute, Shinkiari, Mansehra, KPK, Pakistan
Saqib Mumtaz
COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Park Road, Islamabad, Pakistan
Hina Gul
Department of Genetics, Hazara University, Mansehra, KPK, Pakistan
Muhammad Adil Younis
Department of Agriculture, Hazara University, Mansehra, KPK, Pakistan
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The field experiment was conducted to study the effect of different levels of potassium on growth and yield of onion at Agricultural Research Station Baffa, Mansehra, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, during the year 2016- 2017. Four levels of potassium i.e. 0, 60, 120 and 180 kg ha-1 were used as treatments in the experiment. It was observed that there was significant increase in growth and yield of onion in response to different levels of potassium. The results indicated that maximum average bulb weight (78.44 g), maximum bulb diameter (5.20 cm), and maximum yield (24.67 t ha-1) was noted in plots applied with potassium at the rate of 120 kg ha-1. The lowest onion yield (10.40 tons ha-1) was obtained with control. It may be concluded that the highest dose of potassium application for the soil medium of Agricultural Research Station Baffa, Mansehra is empirical proved 120 kg ha-1 which has significant effects on bulb diameter, bulb weight and yield of onion. Therefore potassium application of 120 kg ha-1 is recommended as the most suitable dose for obtaining maximum yield of onion in Mansehra.
Keywords: Onion, potassium, growth, yield