Abstract

Bulbs of shallot or multiplier onion (Allium cepa var. gr. aggregatum) were stored in wooden crates under ordinary room temperature on campus in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya for 5, 20, 35, 50 and 65 days, with 3 replications. After each storage period, the bulbs were planted. Results showed that storage duration significantly affected the rate of mortality, days to bulb formation and plant height at harvest but not the number of leaves and bulblets per plant, yield per plot and adjusted yield per hectare. The highest percentage mortality (29.40%) was noted in plants stored for 5 days, the lowest (2.32%) for 65 days. The trend was that mortality decreased as storage duration increased. Results also revealed significant effects of storage duration on number of days to bulb formation, ie, it was fewer under longer storage: 35, 50 and 65 days. It appears that the minimum storage duration is 35 days, while extending the storage duration up to 65 days causes no significant effect on the initiation of bulb formation. Plant height at harvest was significantly lower with longer storage. Data shows that bulbs subjected to long storage formed bulbs earlier and had the lowest height at harvest. However, no significant differences were observed in the number of leaves and bulblets per plant and yield per plot. Though results were not significant, an increasing trend was reflected on the number of bulblets and yield per plot from 5 to 50 days of storage. Prolonging the storage duration up to 65 days reduced the yield per plot by 12.54%. The highest return on investment (162.80%) was computed at 50 days of storage.