Onion production by greenhouse propagation and transplantation
Type: Technologies
Creation: 2019-01-03 17:54 Updated: 2019-01-31 16:49
Compilers: Stefan Michel
Reviewers: Umed Vahobov
Country/ region/ locations where the Technology has been applied and which are covered by this assessment
- Country: Tajikistan
- Region/ State/ Province: Sughd region
- Further specification of location (e.g. municipality, town, etc.), if relevant: J. Rasulov district
- Map: View Map
Description of the SLM Technology
Short description of the Technology
Onion seeds are sown in sheeting greenhouses, where the onion seedlings are propagated. The seedlings are then replanted in the open field. This makes them less prone to extreme weather events and provides higher yield of better quality.
Detailed description of the Technology
The technology of greenhouse propagation of onion plants and transplantation is applied in intensive, irrigation dependent agricultural systems. The technology is based on sowing of onion seeds in a sheeting greenhouse, where the seedlings grow for 45 days. Afterwards the onion seedlings are replanted in the open field. By this technology the sensitive seedlings are propagated in a protective environment making them less vulnerable to unfavorable weather conditions, like late freezing or rainstorms. Due to ongoing climate change weather conditions become less predictable and extreme events become more frequent.
The propagation of onions in the greenhouse requires substantially less seeds than traditional hand sowing in the field – 4 kg/ha onion field instead of 16-18 kg, i.e. saving 75-77%. Furthermore the propagation of onion seedlings in greenhouses with transplanting allows for a reduced input of pesticides and fertilizer compared to sowing in the field. This reduction of agrochemical input is related to the small area and favorable conditions in the greenhouse during the propagation of the seedlings.
The technology requires the preparation of the field in fall with 30 cm deep ploughing, harrowing and planning (молование). Afterwards the furrows for planting are made. Complex mineral fertilizer “NitroAmmoPhosKa” (N 16%, P2O5 16%, K2O 16%) or “DiAmmoPhosKa” (N 16%, P 16%, K 16%) in an amount of 75 kg per ha is applied before the transplanting.
The onion seeds are in mid-March sown in a sheeting greenhouse with 4 kg seeds on 100 m². Together with the seeds 3 kg “NitroAmmoPhosKa” and some dung are applied as fertilizer. After 45 days the onion seedlings have reached the stage of three real leaves and are in their optimum growth stage for replanting into the field. The seedlings in the three-leaf stage are by hand planted on the open ground of the prepared as described field.
During the growth period the seedlings are one time weeded and fertilized as follows: i) during planting 75 kg/ha “NitroAmmoPhosKa” is applied; ii) another 100 kg/ha “NitroAmmoPhosKa” is applied in form of supplementary fertilizing (подкормка). Also other fertilizer has been applied in form of supplementary fertilizing (подкормка) 400 kg/ha “Selitra”, 200 kg/ha “Ammophos” and 200 kg/ha “Karbamid (46)”. The onion has also been treated with various pesticides. The field is 10 times irrigated during the vegetation season, requiring 8000 m³ of irrigation water.
The yield on test plots was 91,300 kg/ha. The harvested onions are more homogenous in size thus better marketable than those propagated conventionally.
The benefit of the technology is the reduced amount of seeds required, reduced costs of pesticides and fertilizer. Despite the costs of materials and the effort needed to establish the greenhouse and the additional work for transplanting the seedlings, the technology provides an economic net benefit to the farmer. In testing plots the net profit of traditional onion cultivation was 76% while with greenhouse propagation and transplanting a net profit of 192% would be achieved. Greenhouse propagation also protects the seedlings from failure caused by extreme weather events, which become more frequent due to climate change, and thus reduce the risk for the farmers.
Photos of the Technology
- 📍 Sughd region of Tajikistan, J. Rasulov district
- 🗓 2016-10-03
- 📷 Negmatjon Negmatov
- 📍 Sughd region of Tajikistan, J. Rasulov district
- 📷 Negmatjon Negmatov
- 📍 Sughd region of Tajikistan, J. Rasulov district
- 📷 Negmatjon Negmatov