ISHS Acta Horticulturae 637: XXVI International Horticultural Congress: Advances in Vegetable Breeding
RESPONSE OF SHALLOTS TO MOISTURE STRESSES IN ETHIOPIA |
| Authors: | K. Woldetsadik, U. Gertsson, J. Ascard |
| Keywords: | Allium cepa var ascalonicum, glasshouse, irrigation, rain-fed, yield |
| Abstract:
Shallow rooted vegetables are known to be sensitive to water deficiency and require frequent supply of moisture for better yield and quality. Responses of shallots (Allium cepa var ascalonicum Baker) to moisture stresses were assessed under glasshouse and field conditions at Alemaya University, Ethiopia in 1999 and 2000. The experiments comprised eight treatments where plants received water at 40% depletion of available soil moisture or at 100% depletion of available moisture at early, mid- and late growth stages (15-45, 46-75, and 76-105 days after crop emergence, respectively). Moisture stress showed significant effects on the vegetative growth and yield of shallot plants. Early and mid-growth stage stresses reduced plant height, leaf number and bulb number of the field grown plants. Mean bulb weight was reduced by about 20% as a result of the early and mid-growth stage stresses while late stage stress tended to increase mean bulb weight. The yield reduction amounted to 42% and 26% in the pot, and 46% and 52% in the field-grown plants due to early and mid growth stage stresses, respectively. There was no significant effect on bulb dry matter and total soluble solids content due to the moisture stress treatments in the field while bulb dry matter content tended to be high in plants stressed at the late stage in the pot experiment. Moisture conservation practices and supplemental irrigation are suggested to reduce moisture stress problems of rain-fed shallot cultivation in Eastern Ethiopia. | |
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