Effect of Pollination Methods on Onion (Allium cepa L.) Seed Yield and Quality

Abstract

Onion (Allium cepa L.) is a strongly protandrous crop that requires cross-pollination by insects and different agents for seed production. This experiment was conducted in the years 2021 and 2022 with the objective to investigate the effect of pollination methods on onion seed yields and seed quality attributes. One onion variety (Naffis) and four pollination methods were compared during two production seasons. RCBD and CRD designs for field and laboratory experiments were used respectively. The treatments were arranged with factorial in four replications. The results of analysis showed that onion seed yields, analytical purity, thousand seed weight, germination percentage, seedlings length (shoot and root), seedling dry weight, seedling vigor index-I and II were significantly affected by main effects of treatments and their interactions. Mean seed yield of variety produced with honeybee pollination methods showed highly significant (P<0.01) difference than seed produced in open field pollinated by different pollination agents. Among analytical purity components pure seed, and inert matter showed highly significant (P<0.01) differences between production seasons and pollination methods. Highly significant (P<0.01) interaction effects were found with year of production and pollination methods for germination percentage. Seeds produced with honeybee pollination showed highly significant (P<0.01) differences regarding seedling shoot and root lengths, seedling dry weight and for seedling vigor index-I and -II. The results suggested that pollination of onion seeds by honeybee is better for production of high seed yields and analytical purity and physiological (Germination and vigor induces) seeds quality.