Effect of Different Planting Methods of Onion (Allium cepa L.) and Nitrogen Rate on Onion Growth Pattern under Interference with Purple Nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus)

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

• N Karimi Arpnahy ¹
• S. V Eslami ¹
• S Mahmoodi ¹
• M. H Sayyari ²

¹ University of Birjand

² Birjand

10.22067/gsc.v14i1.37744

Abstract

Introduction
Human always has looked for improving food production through increasing crops yield. In this path, weeds through competition with crop for environmental factors and inputs have reduced the quantity and quality of crop products. Competition for nitrogen absorption not only is the most common form of intra-specific competition amongst crop plants, but also is the most popular form of inter-specific competition in the system of weed-crop interference. Therefore, understanding the method of nitrogen absorption and its allocation in competing plants, will be a key tool to improve weed management strategies.
Materials and Methods
In order to study the effect of sowing method and nitrogen rate on the growth pattern of onion under interference with purple nutsedge, a factorial experiment based on a randomized complete block design was conducted with three replications at the Research Greenhouse of University of Birjand in 2013. The first factor included three sowing methods of onion (seed sowing, onion set and transplanting) and the second factor consisted of three levels of nitrogen (50, 100 and 150 kg N ha-1, equivalent of 25, 50 and 75 mg N kg-1 soil) that urea fertilizer with a purity of 46% was used for this purpose.
Results and Discussion
The results of the analysis of variance showed that nitrogen levels had significant effects on plant height, leaf area index as well as aboveground and bulb dry weights. Furthermore, sowing methods revealed significant effects on plant height, leaf number, leaf area index as well as aboveground and bulb dry weights. Moreover, the interaction between sowing methods and levels of nitrogen had a significant effect on plant height, leaf area index and aboveground dry weight, while it had no significant effect on leaf number and bulb dry weight. The results of the comparisons of the means of onion planting methods and nitrogen levels interactions confirmed that the superiority of the influence of onion set were planted method and high level of nitrogen in plant height trait, so that the maximum plant height was obtained where onion set methods and high nitrogen levels were applied during the growing season. In addition, the lowest plant height during the growing season was observed where the direct seed sowing method and 150 kg N ha-1 were used. The lowest leaf number during the growing season were obtained from direct seed sowing method and the leaf number per plant in this method of planting was 4.33 and 4.66 at eight and ten weeks after planting, respectively. The greatest number of onion leaves was produced in onion set planting method and the leaf number per plant in this method was 12.66 and 13.44 at eight and ten weeks after planting, respectively. The highest leaf area index of onion plants during the growing season was observed under onion set planting method and high levels of nitrogen, while the lowest value of this trait was obtained from direct seed planting method. During the growing season, the maximum shoot dry weight of onions was observed where the onion set planting method and high levels of nitrogen were employed. At eight and ten weeks after planting, the maximum amount of this trait was obtained from 100 kg N ha-1 that was about 4.335 and 5.565 gr plant1, respectively.
Conclusions
Onion growth pattern under interfering with purple nutsedge demonstrated that the highest and lowest growth of onion plants were obtained where onion sets and seed sowing planting methods were employed, respectively. Moreover, changes of growth characteristics of onion under different levels of nitrogen fertilizer and interference conditions illustrated that the maximum and minimum amount of onions growth were obtained at 100 and 50 kg N ha-1, respectively. In conclusion, the superiority of applying the onion set planting method and 100 kg N ha-1 improved onion growth where it competes with purple nutsedge. Thus, in order to minimize the yield damage due to purple nutsedge presence, application of 100 kg N ha-1 and using the onion set planting method can be recommended as the most appropriate treatment in the management of infected farms with purple nutsedge. However, this study was conducted under greenhouse conditions and there is no doubt that the study should be repeated in the field to verify these results.

Keywords

• Anion set
• Competitive ability
• Growth pattern
• Transplanting

20.1001.1.20081472.1395.14.1.16.3

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