ABSTRACT
The onion is one of the most important bulbous crop of the world and the most important commercial crop grown all over the country for both spice as well as for vegetable purpose. Micronutrients play an important role in fertilization program to achieve higher and sustainable bulb yields. The northeastern (NE) region is deficient of zinc whose deficiency causes yellowing of leaves and boron whose deficiency causes bolting in onion. But very little information is available on these aspects under subtropical foothill conditions. Keeping in view, the present experiment was undertaken with the objective to study the effect of zinc and boron on growth, yield, and economics of cultivation of onion.
The experiment was performed in a randomized block design with three replications and nine treatment combination, and data recorded were statistically analyzed by the analysis of variance method. The experiment was conducted with soil application of three levels of zinc, viz., 0, 25, and 50 kg/ha and three levels of boron, viz., 0, 2.5, and 5 kg/ha. The results were found to be significant in most of the parameters. The plant height (57.47 cm), number of leaves/plant (12.37), neck thickness (1.68 cm), bulb diameter (6.83 cm), bulb weight (110.80 g), yield/plot (5.73 kg), yield/hectare (254.81 q), dry weight of bulb (14.30 g), net income (Rs. 211,339 ha−1), and benefit:cost ratio (1:4.3) were maximum in treatment combination of Zn 25 + B 5 kg/ha. Therefore, it can be concluded that the treatment combination of Zn 25 kg + B 5 kg/ha was the best for sustainable production and economically the most profitable for onion cultivation under Nagaland condition.
