Enhancing growth and yield of late kharif season onion (Allium cepa L.) through natural plant growth regulators and micronutrient application

Abstract

Onion is the most extensively cultivated crop used for multiple purposes, including vegetable spices and medicine. In the present study, we evaluated two plant growth regulators (PGRs), Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and Gibberellic acid (GA3), along with the micronutrient mixture containing 3% zinc, 2.5% iron, 1% manganese, 1% copper, 0.5% boron and 0.1% molybdenum chelated with EDTA. A total of 13 treatments were administered consisting of different concentrations of 100 to 200 ppm IAA, 50 to 100 ppm GA3 and 0.5 to 1.0% micronutrients. These treatments were applied either through root dipping or foliar application 30 days after transplanting (DAT). All the PGR and micronutrient treatments enhanced the onion plant growth attributes. Among all the treatments, foliar application of 200 ppm IAA and 100 ppm GA3 was found best in terms of onion bulb yield during the late Kharif season. The findings of the present study suggest that the application of 200 ppm IAA with a recommended dose of FYM and NPK will be helpful to improve onion yield during the late Kharif season and also help in maintaining onion prices from January to March in the Indian market.