Variety: Thuraiyur local onion bulbs are selected for sowing.
Soil: The soil is black soil with good drainage facilities. The germination percentage is above 90 per cent.
Season and sowing: The sowing operation was completed on March 16, 2015 by using the medium sized bulbs. The field must possess sufficient moisture during the sowing time. He switches on the sprinkler for half an hour to wet the entire field. Then the bulbs were sown manually with the spacing of 10 cm apart.
The field was ploughed with a deep reverse plough followed by one sickle plough and 5-tine plough. The soil was ploughed thoroughly to get a fine tilth. The last ploughing was done with nine-tine plough. Fertilizers viz., Di Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) – 150 kg, Murate of Potash (MOP) - 150 kg, Magnesium sulphate -100 kg, Terrabase -10 kg, Root stim - 1 kg and gypsum 2 tonne were broadcasted at the time of last ploughing followed by one rotavator ploughing to get fine tilth with uniform surface.
Irrigation:
At the time of sowing, sprinkler irrigation was done to wet the field. He used to irrigate the field for half an hour in the morning to reduce the mist formation and in the evening for half an hour to regulate the plant and soil temperature.
Sprinkler Irrigation
Field Preparation & Sprinkler Layout
Sprinkler layout:
1. The main pipeline was designed with 21/2-inch width and sub main pipeline was designed with 2-inch width and buried in the soil.
2. The supporting pipe was raised to half-inch size. The lateral size is 16 mm. Sprinkler to sprinkler distance is 16 feet.
3. The sprinkler coverage is around 8 feet. It avoids the overlapping of water discharge and wets the field uniformly.
Foliar Applications of Plant Growth Regulators
Fertigation:
He used to irrigate the field daily along with any one of the following liquid fertilizers.
The fertigation details are given below.
On 20th day, Panchagavya @ 20 litres was diluted in 100 litres of water and fertigated through sprinklers.
On 23rd day, Organixx pro @ 1 litre, calcium and boron @ 1 litre was sprinkled over 2 acres of onion field.
On 24th day, organixx pro special @ 200ml/valve and urea @ 1kg/valve was given separately through sprinklers.
On the same day, 20 litres of panchagavya diluted in 100 litres of water was fertigated in the evening hours.
On 25th day (vegetative stage), 10 kg of Mono potassium phosphate 0:52:34 (Multi-MKP), 500 g of Caljet and 500 g of Microjet F23 was fertigated through sprinklers.
On 26th day, 10 kg of Mono potassium phosphate 0:52:34 (Multi-MKP) and 300 g of folchel was fertigated with sprinklers.
On 27th day, organixx pro @ 1 lite/2 acres was fetigated
On 29th day, 10 kg of NPK - 19:19:19 fertigated through sprinklers.
On 31st day, 10 kg of Mono potassium phosphate 0:52:34 (Multi-MKP) was fertigated.
On 32nd day, 5 kg of NPK-19:19:19 and 1 lite of calcium and boron was used to fertigate 2 acres of land.
NPK-19:19:19 @ 15 kg with microjet @ 500 g and caljet @500 g was fertigated on 37th day.
On the 39th day after sowing, Fortress @ 1 litre was diluted in 100 litres of water and sprayed for 2 acres of onion field.
On 45th day, panchagavya @ 20 litres and folchel @300 g was applied along with irrigation.
On 50th day, 6 kg of 13:0:45/acre + 1 kg of microjet /acre + 1 kg of caljet /acre was fertigated along with irrigation.
On 53rd day onwards, Potassium nitrate -13:0:45 @ 6 kg was fertigated at two days interval.
On 61st day, Potassium sulfate-0:0:50 @ 6 kg fertigated with irrigation for 2 acres.
On 65th day, Lihocin @ 500 ml sprayed for 2 acres in 35 tanks.
Onion Field before weeding
Sprinkler Advantages and Onion sowing
Weed Managment and Fertilizer Applications
Hand weeding: To control the weeds, two hand weeding was done on 20 and 35 DAP.
Plant protection:
1. To control the fungal disease, he sprayed Avatar 40g/tank and Nimbicidine 20ml/tank through power sprayer at 25 DAP.
2. To control the thrips, he sprayed fipronil @ 20 ml/tank and Nimbicidine @ 10 ml/tank by using power sprayer at 45 DAP.
Harvest and yield: Harvesting is done by pulling out of plants when tops are found drooping but still green. Yield: 9240kg/2 acre.
Note:
Folchel: Chelated nutrients. It contains zinc, boron, copper, manganese and iron.
Microjet F23: Same as folchel
Caljet: It contains calcium, magnesium, sulphur and amino acids.
Organixx pro: Amino acid spray. It contains humic acid 1% derived from plant extract.
Fortress+: Liquid silica based micronutrient.
Lihocin: Plant growth regulator
Benefit-cost ratio:
Total cost of cultivation (2 acres): Rs. 78,000/-
Gross return (2 acres): Rs: 2,77,200/-
Net return (2 acres): Rs. 1,99,200/-
Benefit-Cost Ratio = Gross Returns (Rs. ha-1) / Total Cost of Cultivation (Rs. ha-1)
= Rs. 2,77,200/78,000
= 3.55
