ISHS Acta Horticulturae 143: VIII African Symposium on Horticultural Crops
THE EFFECTS OF MINERAL NUTRITION ON SEED YIELD AND QUALITY IN ONION |
| Authors: | A. A.E. Gasim Ahmed, R. A.T. George |
| Abstract:
The situation of bulb onions as a world crop is discussed and the importance of onion production is outlined for the Sudan where the increased demand for this crop has resulted in demands for sufficient quantities of high quality seeds. The existing literature relating to mineral nutrition of the onion seed crop is reviewed and investigations done at the University of Bath on the effect of time of application and quantities of NPK during seed production are described. The experimental work has indicated that although the ratios of NP and K applied during the first year of mother bulb production have no effect on seed yield the nutrient contents of the bulb influence the quality of the seed produced in the second year. There is, however, an influence on seed quality as heavier seeds were produced from bulbs which had received high P and K regimes. The experiments examining rates and time of application of NP and K showed that there was a significant effect on seed quality and that the higher levels of nitrogen from the first year's application or applied before planting of mother bulbs resulted in lighter seeds with a relatively poor performance. | |
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