AGRICULTURE

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Browsing AGRICULTURE by Subject "(Allium cepa L )."

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    THE EFFECT OF SEED SIZE AND STORAGE CONDITIONS ON THE GERMINATION AND YIELD OF ONIONS (Allium cepa L ).
    (1986-07) COLE-EGHAREVBA, RACHAEL KEHINDE
    Seeds of two local onion varieties: Maiduguri Improved and Ex Gayanawa were graded by width in May, 1982 into two sizes: less than 2.0mm and 2.0 - 2.5mm. The seeds were stored under six storage conditions, namely, Baft bags in room temperature; polythene bags in room temperature; Baft bags in the refrigerator; Polythene bags in the refrigerator, Polythene bags in the freezer and paper envelopes in the dessicator. Seeds from all the treatments, except for the two storage conditions identified as inferior (Polythene bags in room temperature and Baft bags in the refrigerator) were partially withdrawn from storage at the beginning of 1982/83 and 1983/84 dry seasons and used in field trials. The 1982/83 dry season trial was located at the A.B.U. Research Farm, Samaru, while the 1983/84 field trial was conducted at the A.B.U. Irrigation Research Station, Kadawa, near Kano. Each trial was designed as a 2 x 2 x 4 (variety, seed size and storage conditions) factorial experiment and replicated three times. Seed laboratory germination was tested after 2, 4, 6, 8 and 15 months of storage. In the field trials, attention was placed on yield of onion and its components as affected by the factors studied. In 1984, two supplementary nursery trials were carried out at the Samaru College of Agriculture, A.B.U., Zaria to study the effects of seed size and storage conditions on field emergence and seedling growth. Seeds of the Institute for Agricultural Research selection, "Composite-4" variety stored for four months wore used for this purpose and trials were designed as a 2 x 4 (seed size and storage conditions) factorial experiment, replicated four times. Amongst the storage conditions studied, the baft bags in room temperature and the polythene bags both in the refrigerator and the freezer were identified as the best for seed storage. Baft bags in room temperature, Polythene bags in the refrigerator and polythene bags in the freezer had on the average 70%, 69%.5% and 68.6% laboratory germination respectively after 15 months of storage. Seed storage in the desiccator was significantly lower (65,2%) in germination only after 15 months compared to the best three treatments while the polythene bags in room temperature and baft bags in the refrigerator were discarded after 8 months of seed storage due to their low seed viability (60.9 and 54.0% respectively). From the results obtained in the nursery trials, it is concluded that both field emergence and seedling growth are not significantly influenced by seed size and storage conditions. It should be emphasized, however, that seeds used in these trials were stored for four months only and under conditions identified earlier as good. Consequently, no significant influence of the factors studied on seed laboratory germination was observed. Prom the field trials, it is concluded that neither variety nor location influenced significantly onion growth and yield. However, a significant interaction between variety and location was observed. Ex Gayanawa which produced heavier seeds and maintained viability for longer period in storage was obviously better adapted to Kadawa growing conditions in terms of early maturity and yield than Maiduguri Improved variety. Although larger seeds were more viable than the smaller ones in storage, they were not superior in field emergence, growth, maturity and total yield.