Boost Your Onion Yield: 7 Essential Tips for Farmers in Bihar (Pyaaz ki Upaj Kaise Badhaye)

Boost Your Onion Yield: 7 Essential Tips for Farmers in Bihar (Pyaaz ki Upaj Kaise Badhaye)

Posted: June 30, 2025

Onion (Pyaaz) is one of the most vital cash crops for farmers in Bihar. As a staple in every Indian kitchen, a good harvest can bring significant profits. However, achieving a high yield with large, healthy bulbs requires more than just traditional farming; it demands precision and the adoption of modern agricultural practices.

With the Kharif onion planting season just around the corner (August-September), now, at the end of June, is the ideal time to plan and prepare. By focusing on key techniques right from the start, you can significantly boost your upaj (yield) and the quality of your harvest.

This guide provides 7 essential tips to help you increase your onion yield for the upcoming season.

Tip 1: It All Starts with a Healthy Nursery

The foundation of a high-yield crop is a strong and healthy seedling. You cannot fix a poor start later on.

• Choose the Right Kharif Variety: Select varieties known to perform well in the monsoon season in Bihar, such as Agrifound Dark Red (ADR) or N-53. These are resistant to bolting and have better storage quality.

• Raise the Nursery Bed: During the monsoon, fungal diseases like "damping-off" can wipe out a nursery. Always prepare your nursery on a raised bed (15 cm high) to ensure excellent water drainage.

• Optimal Seedling Age: Transplant the seedlings when they are 40-45 days old and have attained a healthy thickness. Overly old or weak seedlings will result in a poor final crop.

Tip 2: Use Raised Beds for Planting

This is one of the most effective techniques for the Kharif season. Instead of planting in a flat field, prepare raised beds that are about 1.2 meters (4 feet) wide and 15 cm high.

• Prevents Waterlogging: During heavy monsoon rains, the channels between the beds will drain away excess water, protecting the onion bulbs from rot.

• Improves Aeration: The loose soil on the beds allows the bulbs to expand freely, leading to a larger, more uniform size.

• Easier Management: Weeding, spraying, and irrigation become much easier and more effective.

Tip 3: Master Your Nutrient Management

Onions are heavy feeders. Providing balanced nutrition is non-negotiable for achieving a high yield.

• Prioritize Sulphur: Onions get their unique pungency from sulphur compounds. A lack of sulphur results in smaller, less flavourful bulbs. Ensure your fertilizer plan includes a source of sulphur.

• Balanced NPK: Do not rely only on Urea. A basal dose of Phosphorus (for root and bulb development) and Potassium (for bulb quality and disease resistance) is crucial. A general recommendation is 100 kg N, 50 kg P, and 50 kg K per hectare.

• Split Your Nitrogen: Apply Nitrogen (Urea) in 2-3 split doses—at planting, 30 days after transplanting, and 45-60 days after transplanting—instead of all at once. This ensures the plant gets nutrition when it needs it most.

Tip 4: Smart and Precise Irrigation

The common saying holds true: "Pyaaz ko paani pasand hai, lekin dubaana nahi" (Onion likes water, but not drowning).

• Critical Stages: Ensure consistent moisture, especially during the bulb formation stage (60-90 days after transplanting).

• Stop Watering: This is a crucial step. Stop all irrigation 15-20 days before you plan to harvest. This forces the plant to mature, helps the bulbs develop a firm skin, and drastically improves their storage life (bhandaran kshamata).

Tip 5: Maintain Proper Spacing (Plant Density)

The distance between your plants directly impacts the size of the bulbs.

• Optimal Spacing: When planting on raised beds, maintain a row-to-row distance of 15 cm and a plant-to-plant distance of 10 cm.

• The Right Balance: If plants are too close, the bulbs will be small due to competition. If they are too far apart, you are wasting valuable land. This spacing provides the perfect balance for a high yield of marketable bulbs.

Tip 6: Zero Tolerance for Weeds

Onions have thin, upright leaves that provide very little shade, meaning they cannot compete with aggressive weeds.

• Critical Period: The first 45-60 days after transplanting are the most critical. The field must be kept absolutely weed-free during this period.

• Integrated Approach: Use a combination of manual weeding and a pre-emergence herbicide like Pendimethalin right after transplanting to manage weeds effectively.

Tip 7: The Final Touch - Proper Curing

Your hard work doesn't end at harvesting. Curing is the final, essential step that converts a good harvest into a profitable one.

• What is Curing? After uprooting the onions, lay them out in the field or in a well-ventilated, shaded area for 10-15 days. This allows the neck of the onion to dry and seal tightly.

• Why is it Important? Proper curing removes excess moisture, prevents the entry of bacteria and fungi that cause rot in storage, and improves the bulb's skin colour and firmness. A well-cured onion can be stored for much longer, allowing you to wait for better market prices.

Conclusion

Achieving a higher onion yield is not about a single magic solution, but about the consistent application of these proven techniques. By focusing on a healthy nursery, using raised beds, providing balanced nutrition, and ensuring proper curing, you set the stage for a successful and profitable Kharif season.

What are the biggest challenges you face in onion farming? Share your experiences and questions in the comments below!