Yield Response of Onion (Allium Cepa) to Deficit Irrigation in the Sahel Savannah Region of Nigeria

Abstract

The objectives of this research is to understand water requirement needs, predetermine yield expected from irrigation scheduling under limited supply or water scarcity and the relationship between yield and water deficit by onion plant daily. The irrigation interval observed were; control on the first block of regular seven days irrigation interval, second and the third were irrigated at3days and seven days in excess of the regular seven days irrigation schedule. The three stages of growth were identified as vegetative, flowering and fruiting/ ripening stages. Water was applied at depth of 25cm on each plot. The growing season lasted for four months. Highest yield of 31.5kg/plot (12t/ha) was obtained from 7 days normal irrigation, followed by 10 days,25.0kg/plot, and lowest yield of 18.3kg/plot (1.8t/ha) was obtained from 14 days irrigation. The result of this research shows that irrigating at interval of seven days has the highest significant yield and under critical condition farmer can irrigated at interval of ten days because up to 65-70% yield was obtained compared with treatment A and irrigation should not be schedule at interval of fourteen days because up to 57.6% of yield were lost. It was concluded that deficit irrigation will enhance good water management, reduce soil erosion, reduce cost and energy needed than to irrigate frequently.