YIELD AND YIELD COMPONENT ANALYSIS OF ONION CULTIVARS

GROWN IN ARID REGIONS

ABDULLAH A. ALSADON

Department of Plant Production, College of Agriculture, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia

INTRODUCTION

OBJECTIVES

* To evaluate yield performance of eleven onion cultivars

under the arid conditions of Riyadh area.

* To determine yield stability differences among onion

cultivars.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Cultivar performance trial

* Eleven onion cultivars were used ( Table 1 )

Study conducted at the Agricultural Research and

Experiment Station of the College of Agriculture,

at Dirab near Riyadh, Saudi Arabia during the 1997

and 1998 seasons.

The temperature and relative humidity data were

recorded.

Transplants were grown under greenhouse conditions

for 45 days.

* Transplanting was carried out on 7 January 1997 and on

29 December 1997 for the first and second seasons,

respectively.

The field layout was a complete randomized design with

three replications.

Plots consisted of nine rows, each 3 m long and .7 m

wide. The distance was 15 cm between plants and 75 cm

between rows.

Common cultural practices were performed.

Harvesting was carried out on 19 May 1997 and on 15

May 1998 for the first and second seasons, respectively.

Yield and yield components studied:

Yield (ton/ha)

Bulb weight

Bulb diameter

Bulb length

Dry matter

Yield stability analysis was assessed.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

* Significant differences between cultivars and

among growing seasons.

* Significant cultivar x season interactions were

significant for mean yield and other yield traits.

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Yie

ld (

ton

ha-1

)

CL CN RC DR RM RS RT TG TE UG YS

Cultivars

First Season Second Season

b

Fig 1. Yield of eleven onion cultivars as influenced by growing season . See table 1 for full listing of cultivars.

Fig 2. Bulb weight of eleven onion cultivars as influenced by growing season . See table 1 for full listing of cultivars.

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Bu

lb w

eig

ht

(g)

CL CN RC DR RM RS RT TG TE UG YS

Cultivars

First Season Second Season

Fig. 3. Bulb diameter of eleven onion cultivars as influenced by growing season . See table 1 for full listing of cultivars.

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Bu

lb D

iam

eter

(cm

)

CL CN RC DR RM RS RT TG TE UG YS

Cultivars

First Season Second Season

Fig. 4. Bulb height of eleven onion cultivars as influenced by growing season . See table 1 for full listing of cultivars.

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Bu

lb h

eig

ht

(cm

)

CL CN RC DR RM RS RT TG TE UG YS

Cultivars

First Season Second Season

Fig. 5. Dry matter of eleven onion cultivars as influenced by growing season . See table 1 for full listing of cultivars.

0

5

10

15

20

25

Dry

mat

ter

(%)

CL CN RC DR RM RS RT TG TE UG YS

Cultivars

First Season Second Season

a

5 10 15 20 25

Mean yield (ton/ha)

Re

su

lts

of

t-te

st

RMRM

DR

RM

RM

RCRMRMRMRMRM

RM

bi>1

bi>1

bi>1

Fig. 5. Dry matter of eleven onion cultivars as influenced by growing season . See table 1 for full listing of cultivars.

CONCLUSIONS