Evaluation of Onion (Allium cepa L.) Varieties for Growth, Yield, and Yield Components under Irrigated Conditions of Mulo District, North Shewa, Ethiopia

Abstract

Onion is one of the most important vegetable crops cultivated in Ethiopia for consumption, income generation, and food security. However, onion productivity in many parts of the country, including Mulo District, remains below its potential due to limited availability and adoption of high-yielding and adaptable varieties. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted under irrigated conditions in Mulo District, Ethiopia, during the 2024–2025 irrigation cropping season to evaluate the growth, yield, and yield components of improved onion varieties and identify the best-performing variety for the study area. The experiment was conducted using a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. Four onion varieties, namely Adama Red, Nafis, Bombay Red and Melkam, were evaluated. Data were collected on phenological traits, growth parameters, yield components, bulb yield, and dry matter content. The collected data were analyzed using analysis of variance with the General Linear Model procedure of SAS version 9.4, and treatment means were compared using Duncan’s Multiple Range Test at a 5% probability level. The results revealed significant differences among the evaluated varieties for growth, yield and yield-related traits. Adama Red showed superior performance in vegetative growth, bulb size, average bulb weight, marketable bulb yield, total bulb yield, and dry matter content. The study confirmed the importance of selecting suitable varieties for improving onion productivity under irrigated conditions. Therefore, Adama Red is recommended for cultivation in Mulo District and similar agro-ecological environments. Further multi-location and multi-season evaluations are recommended to confirm the stability and adaptability of the variety.