Increasing yield and quality of onion using Multi-K™ & Multicote™ Agri in Israel

In a trial that was conducted during 2019-2020 in an onion field in Moshav Revaya, Beit Shean valley, Israel, we explored agronomic and  economic benefits of Multicote™ Agri (N coated) in single application (at sowing) and nutritional program Multicote™ Agri as base fertilizer plus side dressing with Multi-K prills. These two treatments where compared to the farmer's practice. 
The combined treatment of Multicote™ Agri & Multi-K™ resulted in superior yield, offering benefit/cost ratio of 6.8. 

Trial information:

Sowing date: 1.11.2019 
Harvest:  16.4.2020
Crop: onion
Variety:  Volkaana
Fertilization method: soil application & Nutrigation

 

Trial treatments
 

Treatment

Rate and timing

N rate

Multicote™ Agri

Base dressing: 360 kg/ha 42-0-0

150 kg/ha

Multicote™ Agri + Multi-K™ 

Base dressing: 360 kg/ha 42-0-0

Top dressing: 150 kg/ha potassium nitrate 

170 kg/ha

Farmer's practice

4 applications of urea, total of 390 kg/ha

180 kg/ha

Yield results were measured during the commercial harvest. 6 repetitions were taken from each treatment, each comprised of a row section 6m long. Bulbs were weighed after removing the leaves and the roots.

Results

 

 

Conclusions

  • Results proved that a combined fertilization program of Multicote™ Agri (pre sowing) and  (PNP) potassium nitrate prill (top dressing) increase the bulb size / weight and yield and proved to be cost-effective, compared with Farmer’s practice.
  • The higher revenue obtained at the Multicote™  Agri + (PNP) treatment was mainly as a result of  the increase in the bulb size / weight, this due to the higher  price ($/mt) paid for the big bulbs compare to the smaller bulbs (850 and 425 respectively). /   which gain hiher due to the The benefit / cost ratio for the 20% reduction from the farmer’s practice was 3.27 (better income with little extra investment).
  • The significant reduction in the  fertilizers application only 2 at the Multicote™  Agri based fertilization programs compare to 5 application at the farmer practice is very much valuable and appreciated by the farmers, this due to the fact that the onion growing period is along the winter/rainy  season in which no irrigation is required and the soil condition (too muddy) make soil application very complicated.