Abstract:
Two field experiments were carried out at Asante-Mampong and Hohoe research fields
to assess the effect of bulb sizes and bulb cutting on growth and yield of onion (Allium
cepa L.) using Bawku Red Onion. The experimental design used was Randomized
Complete Block Design (RCBD) with nine (9) treatments and three (3) replications. The
treatments were: Control (Bawku onion seed), SB (small bulb, 20-40 mm), BB (large
bulb, 40-60 mm), 1/5 SB (small bulb, cutting at 20 %), 1/4 SB (small bulb, cutting at 25
%), 1/2 SB (small bulb, cutting at 50 %), 1/5 BB (large bulb cutting at 20 %), 1/4 BB
(large bulb, cutting at 25 %) and 1/2 BB (large bulb, cutting at 50 %). Data were
analysed using Genstat (11th Edition). The results show that the highest percentage of
crop establishment (100%) was recorded from BB and 1/4 BB and the lowest percent of
crop establishment (55.37%) was recorded from 1/5 BB at Mampong while at Hohoe 1/5
BB (97.94 %) observed the highest crop establishment and 1/4 BB recorded the lowest at
52.60 %. No significant difference was observed between onion seed and 1/2 at
Mampong. 1/2 SB recorded highest number of leaves (5.74) and 1/5 SB (3.54) as the
lowest at Mampong while at Hohoe 1/5 SB and 1/5 BB recorded highest number of
leaves (5.44) and 1/4 SB (3.54) recorded lowest. No significant difference was observed
between onion seed, SB, 1/4 BB and 1/2 BB at Mampong and between onion seed, SB
and 1/2 SB at Hohoe. At Mampong, BB obtained the highest leaf height at 37.49 cm and
1/5 SB at 15.69 cm as the lowest. At Hohoe, 1/5 SB recorded the highest leaf height of
31.92 cm and 1/4 SB giving the lowest leaf height of 12.99 cm. No significant difference
was observed between onion seed and 1/2 SB at Mampong and between onion seed and
BB at Hohoe. The biggest neck diameter was observed by 1/2SB and BB at 1.415 cm
and 1.31 cm in both experiments at Mampong and Hohoe respectively at 60 DAP while
the smallest neck diameters (0.85 cm) were observed in both 1/5 SB and 1/5 BB at
University of Education,Winneba http://ir.uew.edu.gh
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Mampong and in Hohoe 1/4 SB (0.78 cm) recorded the lowest. No significant difference
was observed between onion seed, SB, 1/4 BB and 1/2 BB at Mampong and between
Onion seed, SB, 1/5 SB, 1/4 SB, 1/2 SB and 1/4 BB at Hohoe. highest plant height was
recorded by BB (41.38 cm) while 1/5 SB (17.95 cm) recorded the lowest at Mampong.
At Hohoe, 1/5 SB recorded the highest height (34.45 cm) and 1/4 SB the lowest (16.92
cm). Onion seed and BB observed no significant difference. The highest fresh bulb
weight (72.95 g) was recorded by BB and the least (34.32 g) by 1/5 BB at Mampong. At
Hohoe, the highest fresh bulb weight (65.20 g) was produced by 1/5 SB and the least
fresh bulb weight (25.54 g) was produced by 1/4 BB. No significant difference was
observed between Onion seed and 1/4 BB at Mampong. At Mampong experiment, SB
had the highest bulb diameter (5.42 cm) and the least (3.12 cm) bulb diameter was from
1/5 BB. At Hohoe, 1/5 SB had highest bulb diameter (5.16 cm) and the least bulb
diameter (2.16 cm) was from 1/4 BB. No significant difference was observed between
Onion seed and BB and between 1/5 SB, 1/2 SB and 1/4 BB at Mampong. At Mampong,
the highest bulb yield of 3.65 t/ha was recorded from BB and the least bulb yield of 1.72
t/ha was from 1/5 BB while in Hohoe 1/5 SB (3.28 t/ha) recorded the highest bulb yield
and least was from 1/4 (1.27). Based on the study it is therefore recommend that farmers
use BB (40 – 60 mm) as planting materials, to obtain high bulb yield
Description:
A thesis in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences Education.
Faculty of Agriculture Education submitted to the School of
Graduate Studies in partial fulfillmemt
of the requirements for the award of
Master of Philosophy
(Agronomy)
In the University of Education, Winneba