Volume 6 | Issue -14
Volume 6 | Issue -14
Volume 6 | Issue -14
Volume 6 | Issue -14
Volume 6 | Issue -14
The present investigation “Deciding withdrawal of irrigation and its effect on storability under different irrigation methods for onion” was conducted at research farm of Interfaculty Department of Irrigation Water Management, Post Graduate Institute, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri during January to May, 2018. The experiment was carried out in Factorial Randomized Block Design (FRBD) involving 9 treatments with 4 replications. The treatments comprised of combinations of three irrigation methods viz. surface irrigation, micro sprinkler irrigation and drip irrigation and three withdrawal timing of irrigation viz. 2 weeks, 3 weeks and 4 weeks before harvesting. The soil of the experimental field was sandy clay loam in texture, moderately alkaline in reaction with available nitrogen (173.50 kg ha-1), phosphorus (16.70 kg ha-1) and potassium (333 kg ha-1). The electrical conductivity and pH were 0.32 dSm-1 and 7.6 respectively. The yield parameters and yield were significantly influenced by irrigation method and withdrawal of irrigation. The drip irrigation produced higher bulb yield which was significantly superior over surface irrigation but non-significant over micro-sprinkler irrigation. The storage losses were higher in micro sprinkler irrigation (47.94 %) followed by surface irrigation (36.87 %) and lowest in drip irrigation (31.25 %). Among the withdrawal of irrigation, storage losses were higher in withdrawal of irrigation 2 weeks before harvesting (40.77 %) followed by withdrawal of irrigation 3 weeks (38.62 %) and 4 weeks (36.67 %) before harvesting. The higher net monetary returns from onion crop (181600 Rs.ha-1) were obtained in drip irrigation followed by micro sprinkler irrigation (173940 Rs.ha-1). The net monetary return in 3 weeks before withdrawal of irrigation was higher (182042 Rs. ha-1) followed by 2 weeks before harvesting (172799 Rs. ha-1). The higher B:C ratio of (2.63) was obtained in surface irrigation. Among withdrawal of irrigation higher B: C ratio of (2.58) was obtained in withdrawal of irrigation 3 weeks before harvesting. The study revealed that onion crop irrigated with drip irrigation and coupled with withdrawal of irrigation 3 weeks before harvesting is suitable in terms of yield, storage losses and economic returns.