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Research on Crops

Effect of integrated nutrient management using pigeon manure, biofertilizer and boron on quantitative and qualitative traits of green onion (Allium fistulosum L.)


DOI: 10.31830/2348-7542.2026.ROC-1274    | Article Id: ROC-1274 | Page : 150-156
Citation :- Effect of integrated nutrient management using pigeon manure, biofertilizer and boron on quantitative and qualitative traits of green onion (Allium fistulosum L.). Res. Crop. 27: 150-156
YASAMIN F. SALOOM, ABEER D. SALMAN AND RAWAA G. AL-HILFIE yasamen.f@coagri.uobaghdad.edu.iq
Address : Department of Horticulture and Landscape Gardening, College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq
Submitted Date : 5-12-2025
Accepted Date : 16-01-2026
Online Published:

Abstract

Despite the recognised importance of green onion as a nutritionally and medicinally valuable crop in Iraq, its production heavily depends on chemical fertilisers, which degrade soil fertility and environmental quality. Although organic manure, biofertilizers, and micronutrients such as boron individually improve soil health and crop performance, limited information is available on their integrated application under local agro-ecological conditions. In this regard, an experiment was conducted during the 2024-25 fall season at the fields of College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Baghdad, Iraq to study the effects of integrated nutrients managements on growth, yield and quality of bunching onion (Allium fistulosum), under split plot within randomized completed blocks design (RCBD) with three replications by using three factors the first was pigeon manure as main plot factor at three levels (0, 5, 10 t/ha) mixed with field soil before planting. While the second was foliar spraying of liquid biofertilizer (EM AGRO) applied at (0, 1, 2 mL/L) and the third was boron at two levels (0, 50 mg/L) considered as sub-plot factors. The results revealed that the three-way interaction treatment of pigeon manure at a concentration of (10 t/ha liquid biofertilizer (EM AGRO) at a concentration of (2 mL/L), and foliar application of boron at a concentration of (50 mg/L) T2E2B1 significantly outperformed other treatments in plant height and leaf area, yielding (58.93 cm and 15.14 dm²) respectively. Furthermore, the treatment also outperformed in the qualitative indicators of onion bulbs with higher vitamin C, tannins, reduced DPPH, and total phenols, and yielding 16.90 mg/100g, 48.87 mg/100g, 0.49 mg/100g, and 42.67 mg/100g, respectively. In contrast, the treatment of pigeon manure at a concentration of (5 t/ha) and liquid biofertilizer (EM AGRO) at a concentration of (2 mL/L) was superior. The application of 50 mg/L boron (T1E2B1) with a boron spray at a concentration of 50 mg/L significantly resulted in a higher yield of 83.3 t/ha.

Keywords

Biofertilizer boron green onion integrated nutrient management pigeon manure tannins

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