EFFECT OF NITROGEN AND INTRA ROW SPACING ON YIELD AND YIELD COMPONENTS OF ONION (Allium cepa L.) IN BAUCHI STATE NIGERIA

Abstract

Field experiment was conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm, College of Agriculture Bauchi during the 2016 and 2017 dry seasons to determine the effect of different levels of nitrogen and intra row spacing on the growth and yield of onion. The treatments consisted of four different levels of nitrogen (0, 45, 90 and 135 kgN/ha) and intra row spacing (9, 13, 17 and 21cm) which were factorially combined and laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) and replicated three times. The results of the experiment revealed that, nitrogen and intra row spacing as well as their interaction, significantly (P< 0.01) affected bulb diameter, individual bulb weight and total bulb yield per hectare. The application of nitrogen at 90 kgN/ha and 21cm intra row spacing significantly (P< 0.01) produced higher bulb diameter, individual bulb weight, bulb yield and cured bulb of onion in the study area. Therefore, based on the findings of this experiment, application of 90 kgN/ha with plants spaced at 21cm intra row spacing is recommended for the growers to improve onion production in the study area.