ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Response of Onion Fresh Weight, Nutrients
Uptake, Nitrogen Use Efficiency, Yield,
and Bulb Quality to Different Nitrogen
Fertilization Levels and Plant Density
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1
Department of Agribusiness and Consumer Sciences, College of Agriculture & Food Sciences, King Faisal University,
Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia
2
Department of Natural Resources Management, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58102, USA
3
Horticulture Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44511, Egypt
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Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44511, Egypt
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Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, Cairo 11566, Egypt
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EPCRS Excellence Center, Plant Pathology and Biotechnology Laboratory, Agricultural Botany Department,
Faculty of Agriculture, Kafrelsheikh University, 33516, Egypt
7
Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Hail, P.O. Box 2440, Hail 55476, Saudi Arabia
8
Biology Department, College of Applied Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 24382, Saudi Arabia
9
Social Studies Department, College of Arts, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia
10
Hotel Studies Department, Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.
Submission date: 2023-10-27
Final revision date: 2023-11-18
Acceptance date: 2023-12-07
Online publication date: 2024-03-01
Publication date: 2024-04-09
Corresponding author
Ahmed Hassan Abdou
Social Studies Department, College of Arts, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2024;33(3):3045-3054
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ABSTRACT
A field experiment was carried out during the two successive winter seasons of 2020-2021
and 2021-2022, in the private vegetable farm at Diarb Negm District, Sharkia Governorate, Egypt,
to study the effect of mineral nitrogen levels and plant density on fresh weight, total N, P, and K
uptake, total yield, nitrogen use efficiency, and bulb quality of the onion (cv. Ahmar tantawy).
This experiment included 12 treatments, which were combinations between four levels of mineral
nitrogen (0, 192, 240, and 288 kg N/ha) and three plant densities (4, 5, and 6 rows per ridge, equalling
33.33, 41.67, and 50 plants per m2, respectively). These treatments were arranged in a split-plot design
with three replications. Nitrogen levels were randomly arranged in the main plots, and plant densities
were randomly distributed in the subplots. The interaction between nitrogen levels at 288 kg N/
ha and plant density (4 rows/ridge) gave the highest values of fresh weight of leaves, bulbs, and total fresh weight/plant, percentages of the yield of grade 1, grade 2, and exportable yield from total yield,
and increased total N, P, and K uptake by the plant, total carbohydrates, total sugars, and vitamin C
contents in bulbs. The interaction between N at 244 kg/ha and high plant density (6 rows/ridge)
increased total yield per hectare and nitrogen use efficiency in onion plants.