IMPROVING YIELD, STORABILITY AND WATER PRODUCTIVITY FOR SOME ONION CUL TIV ARS BY DIFFERENT PLANTING METHODS.

The current experiment was carried out in a clay soil at Sids Agricultural Research Station, Beni-Swief Govemorate Egypt during the two seasons of 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 to study the effect of planting methods on productivity and storability as well as crop-water relations for some onion cultivars. Three planting methods: planting on flat land (P1), on ridges (P2) and on raised bed (P3). Three cultivars namely, Giza 6 Mohassan (C1); Giza 20 (C2) and Giza red (C3). The split-plot experimental design in four replicates were performed, where planting methods were occupied the main plots while the split ones were allocated to the onion cultivars. The important findings could be summarized as follows:- * Amount of irrigation water applied and seasonal consumptive use under P3 treatment were reduced in comparison with those under P1 and P2 for all cultivars in the two seasons. * The highest averages of plant height, no. of leaves/plant, bulb length, no. of days to maturity and TSS % in the two successive seasons, were detected from planting onion on ridges of 60 cm width (P2). While, bulb diameter, plant weight and dry matter % were detected for planting onion on raised bed (P3) for all onion cultivars. * The marketable onion, total yields and bulb weight were increased with P3 comparable with P1 and P2. The lowest value of culls onion yield was obtained with P1 compared with P2 and P3 for all cultivars in the two seasons. * Water productivity and water use efficiency values were improved under P3 as compared with the values with P1 and P2 for all cultivars in the two seasons. * Planting onion on raised bed (P3) for all onion cultivars resulted in significant decrease in weight loss % at different storage periods, in both seasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]