Effect of ZnSo4 Priming on Storability, Seed Quality and Bulb Yield in Onion under Mid-Hill Condition of North Western Himalayas

Seed storability and longevity is a major issue in onion seed and bulb. Priming can improve the storability in onion seeds. So a field and laboratory experiment was conducted to study the effect of zinc sulphate priming on seed and bulb quality in onion. There were eleven treatment combinations viz; T1 - 0.50 % ZnSO4 for 6 hrs, T2- 0.50 % ZnSO4 for 12 hrs, T3 - 0.50 % ZnSO4 for 24 hrs, T4 - 0.75 % ZnSO4 for 6 hrs, T5 -0.75 % ZnSO4 for 12 hrs, T6- 0.75 % ZnSO4 for 24 hrs, T7 - 1.0 % ZnSO4 for 6 hrs, T8-1.0 % ZnSO4 for 12 hrs, T9-1.0 % ZnSO4 for 24 hrs, T10 - Hydro- priming for 12 hrs, T11 – Control. Results indicated that treatment T6 was found significantly best in improving seed quality parameters like germination (%), seedling length (cm), dry weight (g), speed of germination, seed vigour index (I&II) and field parameters like plant height 45days after transplanting (cm), plant height at maturity (cm), number of leaves per plant, equilateral and polar diameter of bulb (mm), bulb weight (g), number of marketable bulb per plot and bulb yield/plot (kg) while leaf length (cm), neck thickness (mm) were not significantly affected by the treatment T6.