How to Use Fertilizers Correctly in Onion Farming? Essential Tips for a Bumper Yield

Onion Farming

Krishi Dunia

• 16 Feb, 2025 01:12 PM IST ,
• Updated Mon, 17 Feb 2025 02:23 PM

Proper use of fertilizers is crucial for increasing onion yield. According to agricultural scientists, applying the right amount of fertilizers and manure can significantly enhance production. Experts from Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University, Jhansi, emphasize that a balanced application of farmyard manure, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash improves both yield and quality.

Essential Fertilizers and Their Quantity for Onion Cultivation:

Using the right amount of fertilizers is necessary for a good harvest. According to scientists, for high onion yields, farmers should apply:

• 400 to 500 quintals of well-decomposed farmyard manure per hectare.
• 100 kg of nitrogen, 50 kg of phosphorus, and 50 kg of potash per hectare.
• If the soil lacks zinc, 25 kg of zinc sulfate per hectare should also be added.

Best Time to Apply Fertilizers:

To ensure optimal field preparation, farmers should:

• Apply the entire quantity of farmyard manure, phosphorus, and potash, along with half of the nitrogen before planting.
• In zinc-deficient areas, zinc sulfate should be mixed into the soil before transplanting.
• About one and a half months after transplantation, the remaining nitrogen should be applied.
• If zinc deficiency symptoms appear, 5 kg of zinc sulfate can be sprayed on the crop.

Irrigation Techniques – When and How to Water Onion Crops:

• Onion crops require less water initially, but more as they grow.
• A light irrigation should be done at the time of sowing or transplanting to maintain soil moisture. A second light irrigation should follow after three to four days.
• As bulbs start forming, sufficient irrigation is necessary to ensure proper growth, as water deficiency at this stage can result in smaller bulbs.
• Irrigation should be stopped a few days before harvesting, when the leaves start turning yellow and falling. This helps in proper bulb maturation and improves storage quality.

Major Onion Disease – Damping Off and Its Control:

Damping-off disease affects onion nurseries and young plants, caused by fungi like Pythium, Fusarium, and Rhizoctonia. Symptoms include root rot and wilting, especially during the rainy season.

To prevent damping-off:

• Treat seeds with 2.5 g of Thiram or Captan per kg of seed before sowing.
• Spray nurseries every 15 days with 2.5 g of Thiram or 1 g of Bavistin per liter of water.
• Use Trichoderma viride (5 g per liter of water) to treat soil and roots, reducing fungal infections.

Achieve High Onion Yields with Proper Fertilizer Management:

By maintaining a balanced application of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash, ensuring timely irrigation, and using fungicides when necessary, farmers can achieve higher yields and better quality onions. This not only boosts production but also increases profitability.