Effect of Planting Layout and Plant Spacing on Growth and Yield of Bulb Production (kharif) of Onion (allium Cepa L.)

A field experiment on “Effect of planting layout and plant spacing on growth and yield of bulb production (Kharif) and seed production (Rabi) of onion (Allium cepa L.)” was carried out at Post Graduate Institute Research Farm, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri (M.S.) with a view to study the growth and yield of onion bulb production under different level of planting layout and plant spacing during Kharif season, 2015-16 and 2016-17. The experiment was laid out in factorial randomized block design with three replications. For the bulb production in Kharif the treatments consisted of four planting layout viz., check basin (L1), ridges and furrow (L2), raised bed (L3) and farmer practice (L4) (Border strip) and two plant spacing viz., 30 x 10 cm (S1) and 20 x 10 cm (S2). Planting layout of ridges & furrow (L2) exhibited significantly higher yield and yield attributes like equatorial diameter of onion bulb production (Kharif) (4.94 and 4.74 cm), polar diameter (5.95 and 5.78 cm) and average weight of bulb (80.33 and 77.66 g) at harvesting stage which was at par with planting layout of raised bed (L3) in respect of yield attributes like equatorial diameter (4.89 and 5.70 cm), polar diameter (5.87 and 5.70 cm) and average weight of bulb (78.50 and 75.83 g) both the year respectively. Bulb shape index (0.83 and 0.82) was significantly less in case of planting layout ridges & furrow (L2) as compared to the other planting layout. Planting layout of ridges & furrow (L2) exhibited significantly higher marketable bulb yield of onion bulb production (Kharif) (305.00 and 300.37 q ha-1), leaves yield (12.16 and 11.53 q ha-1) and harvest index (96.21 and 96.35) both the year respectively. Plant spacing of 20 x 10 cm (S2) exhibited significantly higher marketable bulb yield of onion bulb production (Kharif) (306.75 and 302.02 q ha-1), leaves yield (14.11 and 13.36 q ha-1) and exhibited significantly lower harvest index (95.60 and 95.68) both the year respectively. For the bulb production of onion planting layout of ridges and furrow (L2) along with plant spacing of 20 x 10 cm (S2) is suitable for achieving maximum growth, marketable bulb yield.