Growth and bulb yield of some onion (Allium cepa L.) varieties as influenced by NPS fertilizer at Dambi Dollo University Research site, Western Ethiopia

Figures & data

Table 1. Selected physicochemical properties of the soil at the experimental site before planting

Properties	Result	Rating
Depth (cm)	0–30	-
Sand, Silt, clay	40, 25, 35	-
Textural class	Clay loam	-
pH (1:2.5 H2O)	5	Slightly acidic
Organic matter /OM/ (%)	4.99	Medium
Organic carbon /OC/ (%)	2.9	Medium
CEC (meq/100 g soil)	43	Very high
Total nitrogen/TN (%)	0.27	Medium

Table 2. Interaction effect of NPS fertilizer rates and Varieties on plant height of onion crop

Treatment
NPS(kg ha^−1)	Plant height (cm)
	Adama red		Nafis		Monarchy
	2020	2021	2020	2021	2020	2021
0	44.07^g	43.21^g	47.2^g	46.2^g	52.42^f	51.42^f
50	53.35^ef	52.35^ef	51.97^f	52.7^f	62.37^bc	61.27^cd
100	57.95^cd	56.59^ef	57.4^de	58.4^de	64.59^ab	63.25^c
150	58.55^cd	57.25^ed	68.8^bed	59.8^d	68.58^a	70.25^a
200	67.66^a	66.56^b	58.9^cd	57.8^e	67.21^a	65.25^bc
LSD (5%)	4.59	4.84
CV (%)	4.7	6.51

Means sharing similar letter(s) are not significantly different at p < 5%, according to LSD (Least Significance Difference) test,

Table 3. Interaction effect of NPS fertilizer rates and varieties on number of leaves of onion crop

Treatment
NPS(kg ha^−1)	Number of Leaves
	Adama red		Nafis		Monarchy
	2020	2021	2020	2021	2020	2021
0	10.94^hi	12.19^hi	6.37 ^j	7.62 ^j	11.05^gh	12.3^gh
50	12.06^fgh	13.3^fgh	9.52^i	10.77^i	14.05 ^cd	15.3 ^cd
100	13.65^cde	14.9^cde	10.82^hi	12.07^hi	14.76^abc	16.1^bc
150	13.16^def	14.4^def	12.45^efg	13.7^efg	16.08^a	17.3^a
200	15.8^ab	17.05^b	14.5^bcd	15.76 ^cd	14.75^abc	16.0^c
LSD (5%)	1.47	1.2
CV (%)	7.0	8.5

Means within a column followed by the same letter(s) are not significantly different at p < 5%, according to LSD (Least Significance Difference) test,

Table 4. Main effect of varieties and NPS fertilizer rates on days to 90% physiological maturity, marketable yields, unmarketable yield and total bulb yield of onion varieties grown at Dambi Dollo under rain-fed conditions during the 2021 growing season

Treatment	Days to maturity		Marketable yield		Unmarketable Yield		Total Yield t ha^−1
Varieties	2020	2021	2020	2021	2020	2021	2020	2021
Adama red	128.0^b	127.0^b	20.05^ab	19.05^b	1.21^a	1.32^a	21.31^b	20.21^c
Monarchy	131.9^a	132.9^a	18.0^b	17.25^c	1.06^ab	1.02^b	21.86^b	20.86^b
Nafis	104.5^c	103.5^c	23.03^a	25.07^a	0.90^b	0.80^c	25.28^a	26.28^a
LSD (5%)	3.2	3.12	3.406	2.45	0.17	0.25	2.120	2.35
NPS (kg^−1 ha)			Marketable yield		Unmarketable Yield		Total Yield t ha^−1
0	106.6^e	104.2^e	10.39^c	9.20^e	1.85^a	1.94^a	12.42^d	11.42^d
50	114.4^d	115.6^d	16.0^b	15.0^d	1.35^b	1.30^b	18.08^c	18.28^c
100	121.6^c	123.8^c	23.92^a	22.92^c	0.87^c	0.78^c	26.08^b	27.54^b
150	129.9^b	130.5^b	26.41^a	27.52^a	0.69 ^cd	0.59 ^cd	28.15^ab	30.35^a
200	134.8^a	135.0^a	25.16^a	24.16^b	0.53^d	0.54^d	29.35^a	29.15^ab
CV (%)	3.5	3.6	22.4	21.15	21.4	22.65	12.4	14.25
LSD (5%)	4.132	3.85	4.397	3.84	0.2190	0.19	2.737	2.60

Means within a column followed by the same letter(s) are not significantly different at 5% level of significance. LSD: Least Significance Difference, Marketable and unmarketable yield were measured by t ha⁻¹