Growth and yield of shallot (<em>Allium ascalonicum</em> L.) as influenced by soil application of liquid urea and cow urine

Abstract

This experiment was carried to evaluate the effect of liquid urea and cow urine with cow dung on the economic yield of shallot (Allium ascalonicum L.) in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. The experiment was arranged in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with eight replicates and six treatments namely, T1: 20 g cow dung, T2: 20 g cow dung + 3% urea, T3: 20 g cow dung + 3% cow urine, T4: 30 g cow dung, T5: 30 g cow dung + 3% urea, and T6: 30 g cow dung + 3% cow urine. The soil applications of liquid urea and cow urine were done as top dressing at two weeks interval from 3rd week after planting (WAP). Data were collected at 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th WAP and at harvesting stage. The results revealed that there were significant (P<0.001) variations in plant height, number of bulbs, bulb diameter, fresh weight of single bulb, number of roots, root length, dry weight of leaves, dry weight of bulbs per plant and bulb yield per unit land among the treatments. Relatively higher yield (37.5 t/ha) was obtained from the plants treated with 30 g cow dung and 3% urea (T5) than other treatments whereas 20 g cow dung alone (T1) produced the lowest yield (8.4 t/ha). T6 (30 g cow dung and 3% cow urine) gave 32.6 t/ha bulb yield. It was also noted that there was no remarkable (P>0.05) difference in the bulb yields between T2 and T3. However, significant variation was observed between T5 and T6. The combined effect of cow dung and liquid urea fertilizer increased the onion yield. From this study, it could be stated that 30 g cow dung with 3% urea or 3% cow urine could give high bulb yield in the shallot cultivation at rural areas in Sri Lanka where farmers could easily collect the locally available materials for crop production in ecofriendly manner.