Influence of Sulphur, Zinc and Boron on Uptake and Availability of Nutrients in Onion

Venkat Reddy¹ , Basavaraj K^2* , Patil D. H³ , Maheshkumar⁴ , Rajesh N. L¹

¹Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, College of Agriculture, Raichur, University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur, Karnataka-584 104, India

²Zonal Agricultural Research Station, Kalaburagi, University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur, Karnataka-585 101, India

³AICRP on Chickpea, Zonal Agricultural Research Station, Kalaburagi, University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur, Karnataka-585 101, India

⁴College of Agriculture, Kalaburagi, University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur, Karnataka-585 101, India

Corresponding Author Email: bctidigol@yahoo.co.in

DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.53709/ CHE.2021.v02i04.031

Abstract

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Introduction 

Onion (Allium cepa L.) belongs to the family Alliaceae, is one of the most important monocotyledonous, cross-pollinated and cool-season vegetable crop. Onion is popularly known as Pyaaj in Hindi and Ulla gaddi / Irulli in Kannada. Onion has its own distinctive flavour, therefore it is used in soups, meat dishes, salads and sandwiches and is cooked alone as a vegetable. Its pungency is due to the presence of volatile oil Allyl propyl disulphide [1]. Onion is used in the preparation of almost all types of food in our daily diet. So, it is called the queen of the kitchen [2].

Sulphur is recognized as the fourth major plant nutrient after nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in crops. Sulphur deficiency in Indian soil adversely affects crop production besides a recommended dose of NPK fertilizers application [3]. Zinc is a micronutrient that is required for plant growth and development relatively in a small amount. It is involved in a diverse range of enzyme systems. Boron is one of the important micronutrients for onion production and is essential for cell division, nitrogen and carbohydrate metabolism, protein formation and water relation in plant growth. Application of boron increases bulb size, weight per bulb and yield of onion [4].

Material and Methods

A field experiment was conducted at Gotur village of Kalagi taluka in Kalaburagi district, which is situated at 17^o 20′ N latitude and 77^o 09′ E longitude and at an altitude of 436.23 meters above mean sea level and is located in North Eastern Dry Zone (Zone-2) of Karnataka. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications and ten treatments viz., T₁ (control), T₂ (RDF), T₃ (RDF + sulphur @ 20 kg ha^-1), T₄ (RDF + sulphur @ 30 kg ha^-1), T₅ (RDF + zinc @ 2 kg ha^-1), T₆ (RDF + zinc @ 4 kgha^-1), T₇ (RDF + boron @ 1 kg ha^-1), T₈ (RDF + boron @ 1.5 kg ha^-1), T₉ (RDF + sulphur @ 20 kg ha^-1 + zinc @ 2 kg ha^-1 + boron @ 1 kg ha^-1) and T₁₀ (RDF + sulphur @ 30 kg ha^-1 + zinc @ 4 kg ha^-1 + boron @ 1.5 kg ha^-1).

Onion seedlings of 30 days old were transplanted with the spacing of 15×10 cm. Fertilizers were applied to soil on the day of transplanting as per the treatment details. Sulphur, zinc and boron were supplied as per the treatment requirements through bentonite sulphur, Zinc sulphate and Borax fertilizers, respectively. 50 per cent of the nitrogen, full dose of phosphorus and potassium were applied on the day of transplanting. While, the remaining 50 per cent of nitrogen was applied after 30 days of transplanting using urea.

Nutrient uptake

        Leaves and bulb nutrient uptake were calculated by multiplying the dry weight of leaf and bulb (oven-dried at 65⁰C for 48 hours) with nutrient content in leaves and bulb. Further total nutrient uptake was calculated by adding nutrient content of leaves and bulbs and was expressed in kg ha^-1.

Nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium and sulphur content in leaves and bulb samples of onion were determined by standard procedures. The zinc and boron concentration in plant sample was estimated by taking a known quantity of the digested samples by adopting the atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS) method as described by [5] and Azomethine-H method [6] and expressed on mg kg^-1 and finally uptake of micronutrients was calculated and expressed in g ha^-1.

Fertility status of the soil after harvest

The soil samples were collected from five spots in each experimental plot after harvesting. The nutrient analysis was estimated by adopting standard procedures for the determination of the following nutrient status.

Results and Discussions

Effects of uptake of nutrients in leaves and bulb samples after the harvest of onion crop

Data on uptake of major and secondary nutrients (kg ha^-1) and micronutrients
(g ha^-1) in leaves and bulbs samples after the harvest of onion crop as affected by sulphur, zinc and boron levels are presented in Table 1.

Uptake of nitrogen in leaves (76.97 kg ha^-1) and bulbs (106.08 kg ha^-1), phosphorus in leaves (10.27 kg ha^-1) and bulbs (16.18 kg ha^-1), potassium in leaves (66.03 kg ha^-1) and bulbs (92.14 kg ha^-1) and sulphur in leaves (17.79 kg ha^-1) and bulbs (26.52 kg ha^-1) were observed significantly highest with application (T₁₀) of 30 kg S ha^-1, 4 kg Zn ha^-1and 1.5 kg B ha^-1 followed by T₉ treatment applied with 20 kg S ha^-1, 2 kg Zn ha^-1and 1 kg B ha^-1. However, the lowest uptake of nitrogen in leaves (37.40 kg ha^-1) and bulbs (56.30 kg ha^-1), phosphorus in leaves (2.97 kg ha^-1) and bulbs (5.74 kg ha^-1), potassium in leaves (33.45 kg ha^-1) and bulbs (49.13 kg ha^-1) and sulphur in leaves (7.38 kg ha^-1) and bulbs (11.42 kg ha^-1) were observed in control. This may be due to the synergetic uptake mechanism of S with NPK which was attributed to increased yield and higher nutritional demand for plant growth. The combination of sulphur and zinc had a marked influence on the uptake of another nutrient, which might be due to the synergetic interaction effect of sulphur with zinc [7]. These results were in conformity with [8], and [9].

Uptake of zinc in leaves (136.74 g ha^-1) and bulbs (207.31 g ha^-1) was observed significantly highest with application (T₁₀) of 30 kg S ha^-1, 4 kg Zn ha^-1and 1.5 kg B ha^-1 followed by T₉ treatment applied with 20 kg S ha^-1, 2 kg Zn ha^-1and 1 kg B ha^-1. However, the lowest uptake of zinc in leaves (58.05 g ha^-1) and bulbs (89.08 g ha^-1) was observed in control. This might be due to greater role of zinc in chlorophyll formation, regulating auxin concentration and its stimulatory effect on most of the plant, might have helped plants in absorption of greater amount of nutrients from the soil. Combination of sulphur and zinc had marked influence on uptake of other nutrient, which might be due to the synergetic interaction effect of sulphur with zinc [7]. The results of the investigation are supported by [10].

Uptake of boron in leaves (101.84 g ha^-1) and bulbs (145.86 g ha^-1) was observed significantly highest with application  (T₁₀) of 30 kg S ha^-1, 4 kg Zn ha^-1and 1.5 kg B ha^-1 followed by T₉ treatment applied with 20 kg S ha^-1, 2 kg Zn ha^-1and 1 kg B ha^-1. However, the lowest uptake of boron in leaves (46.70 g ha^-1) and bulbs (69.75 g ha^-1) was observed in control. The higher uptake of nutrients with addition of boron and sulphur might be attributed to increased vigour and growth of plant with enhanced nutrient utilization and translocation into the plants resulting in the enhancement of bulb yield. Uptake of sufficient nutrients by the garlic crop is important to improve growth, yield and marketable proportions as well as quality of crop. The similar findings were reported from the [11] and [12].

Effects on available nutrients content in soil after the harvest of onion crop

Data on available major and secondary nutrients and micronutrients status in soil after the harvest of onion crop as affected by sulphur, zinc and boron levels are presented in Table 2.

Available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium nutrient content in soil was significantly influenced by sulphur, zinc and boron levels. Among all the treatments, significantly higher available nitrogen (224.71 kg ha^-1), phosphorus (37.48 kg ha^-1) and potassium (351.37 kg ha^-1) content of soil was recorded in T₁₀ treatment (30 kg S ha^-1, 4 kg Zn ha^-1 and 1.5 kg B ha^-1) which was on par with T₉ treatment (20 kg S ha^-1, 2 kg Zn ha^-1 and 1 kg B ha^-1) (220.87, 35.29 and 346.51 kg ha^-1, N, P, K respectively) and significantly lower available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content of soil was observed in control (182.38, 21.23 and 302.12 kg ha^{– 1} respectively). The increase in available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content of soil was due to synergetic effect of S with NPK, Zn and S, B. These results were also supportive with the finding reported by [13], they revealed that the available N, P, K and S in soil was increased with application of all organic and biofertilizers in combination with chemical fertilizers.

Available nutrient content of sulphur in soil was significantly influenced by sulphur, zinc and boron levels. The treatment (T₁₀) with 30 kg S ha^-1, 4 kg Zn ha^-1 and 1.5 kg B ha^-1(21.05 kg ha^-1) recorded significantly higher available sulphur in soil. However, it was on par with 20 kg S ha^-1, 2 kg Zn ha^-1 and 1 B kg ha^-1 (T_9, 20.19 kg ha^-1) and significantly lower available sulphur content in soil was recorded in control (T_1, 8.51 kg ha^-1). This is attributed higher sulphur fertilization and consequent increase in the available S content in soil after harvest of crop (Table 2). Similar results were obtained by [14] and [13].Increased sulphur availability was also recorded in soil with the addition of FYM and sulphur application through gypsum [15].

Available nutrient content of DTPA extractable zinc in soil was significantly influenced by sulphur, zinc and boron levels. Whereas significantly higher available DTPA extractable zinc content was observed in treatment receiving (T_10, 1.33 mg kg^-1) 30 kg S ha^-1, 4 kg Zn ha^-1 and 1.5 B kg ha^-1. However, it was on par with treatment receiving (T_9, 1.26 mg kg^-1) 20 kg S ha^-1, 2 kg Zn ha^-1 and 1 kg B ha^-1. Significantly lowest available zinc content observed in control (T_1, 0.48 mg kg^-1). The increase in the available zinc content over initial value under treatment receiving 30 kg S ha^-1, 4 kg Zn ha^-1 and 1.5 kg B ha^-1 (T₁₀) was due to zinc application and in the later due to mineralization of organically bound forms of zinc in FYM. Also, it might have resulted in organic chelates of higher stability. Because zinc is also known to form relatively stable chelates with organic ligands, which inturn decreasing their susceptibility to adsorption, fixation, and precipitation. The results are in close conformity with those of [15] and [14].

Available nutrient content of boron in soil was significantly influenced by sulphur, zinc and boron levels. Among all the treatments, significantly higher available boron content in soil was recorded in T₁₀ (30 kg S ha^-1, 4 kg Zn ha^-1 and 1.5 kg B ha^-1) (1.41 mg kg^-1) which was on par with T₉ (20 kg S ha^-1, 2 kg Zn ha^-1 and 1 kg B ha^-1 ) (_, 1.35 mg kg^-1) and significantly lower available boron content was observed in control (T_1, 0.25 mg kg^-1). The increment in the availability of boron may be attributed to the addition of boron fertilizer in form of borax which escalated available boron in soil as applied boron being instantly in equilibrium with soil solution boron. Since plant residues contain numerous mineral nutrients, FYM addition in experimental plots and subsequent upon their decomposition release adsorbed boron back into soil solution thereby increasing its content and availability [16]. Further, the addition of FYM also might have provided a better mobilization and mineralization of added boron in soil.

Conclusion

Based on the results obtained under present investigation, it can be concluded that soil application of sulphur (20 kg ha^-1) through bentonite sulphur @ 22 kg ha^-1, zinc (2 kg ha^-1) through zinc sulphate @ 9.5 kg ha^-1 and boron (1 kg ha^-1) through borax @ 9.5 kg ha^-1 along with recommended dose of fertilizers to onion crop had significant effects on uptake of nutrients in leaves and bulbs samples and also improve fertility status of soil after harvest of onion crop. Thus, based on the support warranted from the above data, it can be concluded that growing of onions by judicious use of combined application of micro and macro nutrients is the best practice in sustaining productivity and soil health and hence can be practiced by the growers effectively under the vertisols of North Eastern Dry Zone (Zone-2) of Karnataka.

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References

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