EFFECT OF POTASH LEVELS AND SEASON ON PHYSICO-CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF WHITE ONION ´PHULE SAFED´

An investigation to study the effect of potash levels (50-250 kg/ha) and planting seasons (kharif and rabi) on physico-chemical composition of ‘Phule Safed’ was undertaken. The results indicated that application of K₂O at 200 kg/ha during kharif season and K₂O at 150 kg/ha during rabi influenced physico-chemical composition of the bulbs and bulb scale thickness and neck thickness decreased significantly with increase in potash levels. Other characters like bulb weight, TSS, total sugars, non-reducing sugars and dry matter were found to be increased significantly with increase in potash levels. Marketable yield did not influence significantly in both the seasons but increased up to a certain level of potash. Protein content did not show an increase in kharif but increased during rabi season. Pyruvic acid showed a considerable increase (9.54 µmoles/g) during rabi season with application of potash up to 200 kg/ha.