Effect of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Storage Methods on Storability of Onion in Bauchi, Nigeria
Keywords:
Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), storage methods, onion, BauchiAbstract
Field experiment was conducted under irrigation during the 2003/04 dry season at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching and Research Farm, Yelwa campus, Bauchi in the Northern Guinea Savanna ecological zone of Nigeria, to study the effect of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers with two storage methods on onions produced in a fadama area. The treatments consisted of four levels of both nitrogen (0, 55, 110 and 165 kg N ha-1) and phosphorus (0, 45, 90 and 135 kg P ha-1) fertilizers which were factorially combined in a randomized complete block design with three replications. At harvest bulbs were collected and allowed to cure for two weeks, bulked, and from each bulk, 60 healthy bulbs were selected at random and fixed on-floor and off-floor storage methods in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The storage experiment was carried out in the herbarium of the Bauchi State College of Agriculture, Bauchi for 12 weeks, between April to June, 2004. During this period, the temperature and relative humidity of the store were monitored. Onions bulb weight at storage and percent of rotted bulbs were significantly (P=0.05) influenced by experimental treatments, so also the percent of sprouted bulbs (P= 0.05). Storage losses due to rots and sprouts were as a result of higher levels of nitrogen and phosphorus with storage of onions on-floor.
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