Efecto del sistema y densidad de la almaciguera en el cultivo de cebolla (Allium cepa)

Abstract

Production of onion (Allium cepa) seedlings for transplants is done directly in flat soil conditions or in trays using reduced cell volumes and high plant density conditions, without consideration of the possible effect that reduced cell volume can have on crop growth. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the production of onion seedlings in two seedbed systems and their subsequent behavior in the field. Seedling production and transplant establishment were determined with a long-day type of onion (cv. Grano de Oro) in the Metropolitan Region of Chile (33°-34° south latitude) from 2004 to 2005. The production of covered root transplants was performed in trays with 286 (18 cm³), 432 (10 cm³) and 814 (5 cm³) cells each, equivalent to plant densities of 1144 (low), 1728 (medium) and 3256 (high) plants-m², respectively. The production of bare root transplants was done in boxes with equal plant densities as in the tray system. Next, plants obtained from each seedbed system and plant density were field transplanted. Based on the results obtained, neither plant density nor transplant production system affected the pseudo stem diameter 25 days after emergency (DAE). At 77 DAE, the pseudo stem diameters were 3.8 and 5.2 mm, the root dry weights (DW) were 4.8 and 6.2 g•planta-1 produced in high and low plant density, respectively. This suggests that the tray system had a minor effect on plant development. At 23 days after transplanting (DAT) differences in the pseudo stem diameter between the three densities were obtained, although differences between the bare and covered root systems were not statistically significant. Plants obtained from high-density seedbeds showed a smaller pseudo stem diameter and lower canopy DW than plants produced in low-density seedbeds until 84 DAT. At harvest, no differences were observed in formation or among the quality categories of the onion. Therefore, it is feasible to produce onion seedlings to be transplanted with bare roots or covered roots, produced in high-density boxes or in 5 cm³ cells, without affecting the final quality of harvested onion bulbs