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 seed production under different level of planting layout and plant spacing during Rabi season, 2015-16 and 2016-17. The experiment was laid out in factorial randomized block design with three replications. For the seed 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., 60 x 20 cm (S1) and 60 x 30 cm (S2). Planting layout of ridges & furrow (L2) exhibited significantly higher yield attributes and yield like number of flower stalk of onion seed production (Rabi) (8.33 and 9.39), height of flower stalk (81.61 and 84.90 cm), dry matter (18.12 and 19.69 g plant-1), diameter of flower stalk (1.81 and 1.97 cm), diameter of umbel (7.01 and 7.50 cm), 1000 seed weight (3.78 and 3.88 g), seed yield (15.06 and 15.49 gbulb-1), seed yield (423.24 and 465.01 g plot-1), raw seed yield (5.60 and 6.15 q ha-1), marketable seed yield (5.21 and 5.72 q ha-1) and straw yield (7.69 and 8.82 q ha-1) at harvesting stage which was at par with planting layout of raised bed (L3) in respect of yield attributes like number of flower stalk (7.788 and 8.65), height of flower stalk (89.83 and 83.12 cm), dry matter (17.40 and 18.97 g plant-1), diameter of flower stalk (1.62 and 1.73 cm), diameter of umbel (6.92 and 7.15 cm), 1000 seed weight (3.70 and 3.79 g). Plant spacing of 60 x 30 cm (S2) exhibited significantly higher yield and yield attributes like number of flower stalk of onion seed production (Rabi) (8.46 and 9.43), dry matter (18.06 and 19.63 g plant-1), diameter of flower stalk (1.72 and 1.85 cm), diameter of umbel (7.09 and 7.45 cm). But plant spacing of 60 x 20 cm (S1) exhibited significantly higher yield and yield attributes like height of flower stalk (81.22 and 84.51 cm), seed yield (15.16 and 15.59 gbulb-1), seed yield (440.09 and 483.55 g plot-1), raw seed yield (5.82 and 6.40 q ha-1), marketable seed yield (6.11 and 5.41 q ha-1).