Effect of scheduling of drip irrigation on growth, yield and water use efficiency of onion (Allium cepa L.)*

The field experiments were conducted for two seasons during summer season of 2004-05 and 2005-06 at Regional Agricultural Research Station Bijapur (Karnataka), on medium deep black soil to study the effect of scheduling of drip irrigation on the growth, yield and water use efficiency of onion (cv. Telagi Red).The experiment included three interval (main treatments) and three levels of irrigation(sub treatments) with flood irrigation as control. The results shown that shorter interval of irrigation M1 (one day interval) recorded significantly higher bulb yield (46.93 t ha-1). The yield increase in M1 was mainly due to significantly higher performance of growth and yield parameters. The 100 per cent PE (S3) recorded significantly higher bulb yield (50.92 t ha- 1) compared to 80 and 60 per cent PE and flood irrigation and this reflected in growth and yield parameters also. Significantly higher bulb yield was recorded in one day interval of irrigation at 100 per cent PE (54.91 t ha-1) which was on par with two days interval of irrigation at 100 per cent PE (52.83 t ha-1). Significantly higher number of leaves, leaf area, LAI and neck girth per plant and equatorial diameter, polar diameter and bulb weight were recorded in M1 S3, M2S3 compared to flood irrigation. Both one day (M1) and two days (M2) interval of irrigation and 60 per cent PE (S1) recorded significantly higher WUE, while the interaction effects were non-significant. The intervals and levels of irrigation and their combinations were significantly su perir for WUE, compared to flood irrigation