Onion (Allium cepa L.) growth, yield and economic return under different combinations of nitrogen fertilizers and agricultural biostimulants

Abstract

Two field experiments have been conducted to study the effects of application of nitrogen fertilizer, bio-fertilizers and organic compounds on growth, yield and economic of onion production in 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 seasons. From the data it was found that combination of N fertilization of onion plants with 100 kg N fed.-1 (hectare = 2.38 feddan) and foliar with humic acid at the rate of 1 kg fed.-1 is the best in this study, for giving the highest bulb yield with the highest net returns of 12580 EGP (1USD = 17.80 EGP), with a benefit: cost ratio (B:C ratio) of 2.35. While, the highest cost of cultivation was obtained by 120 kg N fed.-1 and spraying onion plants with humic acid followed by compost tea. Also, from the economic view, the revenue of EGP is higher when used some biofertilizers and organic fertilizers if compared with chemical fertilization only.