Effect of Planting Orientation on Growth and Yield of Three Onion (Allium cepa L.) Cultivars under Khartoum State Conditions

Abstract

This study was conduced during season (2005-2006) in the experimental farm of the College of Agricultural studies, Sudan University of Science and Technology (at Shambat) to determine the effect of ridge orientation ( North-South and East-West) on growth and yield of three local cultivars of onion ( Saggai Improved – Kamleen – Abufreiwa). The experimental units were distributed according to complete randomized block statistical design (CRBD) with four replications. The evaluation of the vegetative growth and yield was done on plant height, plant fresh and dry weight, bulbs diameters, sizes, and the dry weight of the bulbs and total yield. The results revealed the presence of clear differences in growth among the cultivars due to the planted side of the ridge. This effect was very clear by both cultivars Kamleen and Saggai Improved, while the cultivar Abu freiwa was not affected. Also there was a clear effect due to the ridge orientation on the bulbs size in Saggei Improved an Kamleen varieties where both saggai Improved and kameleen showed the highest percentages of large bulbs (7 70 mm ө) when planted on both ridge sides (North-South) compared to Abu freiwa which was not affected. However, there were no clear differences in the total yield among the three cultivars grown the different ridge orientations.