Abstract

                                A study was conducted at Horticultural College and Research Institute, Coimbatore to find out the response of multiplier onion Gnanamedu local, a seedling type in respect of plant height, number of leaves and number of shoots. The experiment was laid out with 30 treatments and three replications in a split plot design. The main and sub plot treatments consist of three spacings viz., 45x5, 45x10 and 45x15 cm and 10 combinations of nutrients involving three levels of N (20, 40 and 60kg ha¹), three levels of P (20, 40 and 60kg ha-1) and constant level of K (30 kg ha-1) along with FYM (25 t ha-1). Azospirillum at 2 kg ha' and phosphobacterium at 2 kg ha-1. Organics alone and absolute control without nutrients was also adopted. The higher plant height was observed at closer spacing of 45x5 cm at 100th and 135th day of sowing. The plant height showed an increased trend with increasing level of nutrients. Interaction effect revealed that application of 60:60:30 kg NPK ha-1 along with FYM at 25 t ha-1, Azospirillum at 2 kg ba-1 and phosphobacterium of 2 kg ha with closest spacing of 45x5 cm recorded the higher plant height (48.5 cm) at 100th and 135th days of sowing.

Key words : Onion, Spacing, Nutrients, Interaction