Department of Soil Science, Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur 176 062.
* Corresponding author's E-mail: rc_jaggi@rediffmail.com
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During different samplings, S and N content; and S: P, N: P, N: S ratios were negatively correlated with weight loss and rotting of bulbs during storage. Sprouting losses were contrarily related to nutrients' levels and their ratios. Nitrogen from 3.7 to 3.9% upto 84 days after transplanting and 2.7% at harvest; and S content 0.38% at 63 days after transplanting and 0.40% at harvest in leaves; and 0.6% in bulbs are critical for minimizing storage losses. N: S ratios from 6.5 to 8.1 during crop growth; and 5.3 and 4.1 to 6.0 in harvested leaves and bulbs respectively are critical to reduce storage losses. Similarly S: P ratio of 2.4 in leaves at 63 days after transplanting was found ideal for reducing sprouting losses. Weight loss and rotting are a consequence of poor nutrition (N, S and P). Sulphur has a major role in reducing weight loss, followed by N and P in sequence.
Storage losses, onion, critical nutrient limits, N:S ratio, S:P ratio
