Implications of Low Cost Hydroponic System for Growth, Yield and Quality Attributes of Sukhsagar Cultivar of Onion (Allium cepa L.)

Present experiments were framed to study the implications of low cost hydroponic system for production of red onion bulbs for growth yield and quality of Sukhsagar cultivar with the use of minimum inputs to reduce the production cost. Hydroponic and sand based growing conditions were carried out under the open roof condition of direct sunlight and field experiment was undertaken at Horticulture Research Station Mondouri following Completely Randomized Design with three replications during the Rabi season of 2023-2024 employing the Sukhsagar cultivar for vegetative growth, initiation of root, bulb and bulb development for yield and quality of onion. The results revealed the considerable plant height in hydroponic grown onion. Highest number of leaves per plant, maximum root length, early initiation of bulb, higher rate of bulb development, highest equatorial diameter, maximum individual weight of bulb, higher number of scales per bulb and higher pungency were found in the hydroponically grown onion followed by open field condition except TSS and total sugar whereas, early bulb initiation and faster root growth and the lowest plant height, number of leaves per plant, was experienced in sand conditions. The floating bed of hydroponic system performed better in terms of vegetative growth of the onion plants, root development, early bulb initiation and faster rate of bulb development and better establishment of plants, early harvesting of onion bulb and quality for Sukhsagar cultivar over the sand and soil based growing conditions. The floating bed condition found better for low-cost materials and least management might be a promising option followed by sand conditions for the future onion growers to increase the production within a short period of time.