Vol. 11, Special Issue 6 (2022)

Author(s):
M Sangeetha, PS Shanmugam, K Indhumathi and MA Vennila

Abstract:
Small Onion (Allium cepa L. var. aggregatum Don.) is one of the important commercial vegetable crops cultivated in Dharmapuri district, Tamil Nadu. The yield of onion is affected by the incidence of various pests and diseases. Thrips, basal rot and purple blotch disease incidence are considered as the important factor in influencing the bulb yield of onion. Adoption of integrated approach will be the most economical and sustainable one for managing the above said problems in onion. Hence, frontline demonstration on integrated management practices in small onion was conducted in farmers’ holdings. The results revealed that adoption of integrated management practices including seed bulb treatment and soil application of Trichoderma viride, soil application of biofertilizers, neem cake, placing of yellow sticky traps, spraying of Beauveria bassiana and need based spraying of chemical pesticides recorded higher bulb yield (13.8 t/ha) and net return (Rs. 201100/ha) besides reduction in incidence of pests and diseases in onion. As a result, the demonstrated technological interventions were adopted in large scale by the onion growers of Dharmapuri district.