Screening of onion genotypes for sets production and raising of early kharif crop

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to screening of onion varieties
suitable for sets production and raising of early kharif crop
through sets. Eighteen onion varieties including advance
lines were sown in three replications at the Experimental
Farm of ICAR-Directorate of Onion and Garlic Research,
Rajgurunagar, Pune (Maharashtra). The significant
differences were observed in varieties under onion sets
production. Maximum number of onion sets were recorded
in DOGR-1203 (554.83/m2) followed by Bhima Super (530.17/
m2), B-780 (518.00/m2), Bhima Raj (475.33/m2) and RGO-53
(462.08/m2). The sets were graded according to their diameter
as <10 mm, 10-15 mm, 16-20 mm and >20 mm onion sets.
Highest percentage of 10-15 mm onion sets was recorded in
W-448 (44.88%) followed by DOGR-1203 (44.55%),
Agrifound White (44.03%), JNDWO-85 (43.80%) and Phule
Safed (42.44%). Different groups of onion sets were planted
with three replications for production of early kharif crop
through sets. Little variations were observed among four
groups of onion sets in respect of marketable yield of all the
varieties. Days for bulbs maturity varied from 75 to 95 days
in crop through onion sets whereas, 96 to 113 days in
transplanted crop. On the basis of overall mean of all the
onion sets groups, highest marketable yield was recorded
in R-Kh-M-I (22.09 t/ha) followed by RGO-53 (20.16 t/ha),
Bhima Shweta (20.10 t/ha), Bhima Super (19.13 t/ha), R-Kh-
M-III (18.50 t/ha) and these varieties gave higher yield under
cultivation through sets in comparison to transplanted crop
except Bhima Super. The results clearly indicated that early
and higher bulb yield can be obtained through onion sets
during kharif cultivation.