Effect of nitrogen fertilizer on the storability of onion cv. 'CAL606'
2001
A:PS
Details
Title
Effect of nitrogen fertilizer on the storability of onion cv. 'CAL606'
Publication Date
2001
Call Number
A:PS
Summary
This experiment is to study the effect of nitrogen fertilizer on storability of onion bulb cv.'CAL606'. Four levels of nitrogen fertilizer i.e. 75, 150, 250 kg/ha and control (168 kg/ha) were applied in the field. Bulb harvested from each level of nitrogen treatment were graded into large (8~10 cm in diameter) and medium bulb (6.5~8 cm). Bulbs were stored in ambient storage conditions (27.7+-2.5C, 73.6+-6.8 %RH) and assessed the storage loss and disease infection at three weeks interval during 21 weeks of storage. Results indicated that total storage loss, rotten, marketable bulb number, marketable weight and black mold disease infection were significantly different under storage duration, nitrogen levels and bulb sizes at P<=1%. High nitrogen fertilizer treatment with 250 kg/ha showed of losses up to 57% after 21 weeks of storage. The most prevalent storage disease was black mold which caused 31.7% loss in onion bulbs. Pungency was significantly affected by nitrogen level (N), bulb size (8), and N X S interaction. Medium size bulb treated 150kg/ha nitrogen showed highest in pungency of 8.9 u mole/gFwt, however, low nitrogen fertilizer (75 kg/ha) with large bulb had the mildest in flavor (7.2 u mole pyruvic acid/gFwt). Besides, onion with low nitrogen fertilizer treatment (75 kg/ha) tend to have less fmn in texture and lower water content as well as more susceptible to Aspergillus niger infection in artificial scale inoculation. It is concluded that too high or too low nitrogen fertilizer application in field would cause poor storability in onion bulb cv. 'CAL606' which is due to the effect of nitrogen on the changes of water status and chemical compositions in the bulb and finally reduce the resistance to storage pathogen.
Journal Citation
v.26(2):37-47, HORTICULTURE NCHU
Contact Information
harvest@worldveg.org
Record Appears in
Research > Published Articles