Effect of Bio Char and Amino Acid (Steam) on Growth and Green Yield of Onion (Allium cepa L.) Variety (Karbala)

The experiment was carried out in the vegetable field of Horticulture and Landscape Department / College of Agriculture and Forestry / University of Mosul, during 2021-2022 season to investigate the effect of administration of bio char in three doses (0, 3.5, 7, 10.5 t. Ha-1) and three Concentrations of Amino acid(Steam)(0, 10, 15 ml.L-1)on growth and green yield of onion variety (Karbala) The experiment was designed according to randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The results showed that : Adding the bio char in doses of 7 t. Ha-1 to the soil significantly increased several growth and yield properties(bulbs number, leaves number, bulb diameter, fresh and dry weight of leaves and roots, plant yield, and biological yield). Spraying amino acid (Steam) at 15 ml.L-1 doses gave the highest values of plant height, fresh and dry weight of leaves and roots per plant, diameter of bulb neck. But highest values of average weight of bulb and biological yield was from spraying amino acid (Steam) at 10 ml.L-1 doses. The combination treatments between bio char and amino acid (Steam) show a significant effect in some vegetative growth and yield parameters of onion.


Introduction
Onion (Allium cepa L), which belongs to the Alliaceae family, which was formerly called the Amaryllidacae family, is considered an important vegetable crop as a source of income for farmers all over the world after tomato and potato crops [1].Onions are a major source of vitamin C and have a high energy content and medium content of protein and nutrients [2].The demand for onions has increased day by day, so most countries expand its cultivation and raise the level of production , as the cultivated area in Iraq is 7600 hectares, with an average production of 5664 kg/hectare of green onions for the year 2017 [3].Because of the importance of the crop, attention has been recently paid to the use of some production improvers such as amino acids, and soil conditioners of organic or biological origin, to improve the properties of the soil and the tip of the water and retention it in soil..Bio char is considered as one of the modern soil conditioners.It is a natural substance that is mixed with the 1259 (2023) 012047 IOP Publishing doi:10.1088/1755-1315/1259/1/012047 2 components of the soil.Its addition does not result in any side effects that pollute the soil and is environmentally safe, as it increases the soil's content of nutrients, organic matter and biological activity.Some studies show that when different percentages of bio char are added to the soil it showed a beneficial effects, as these additives increased the capacity of the soil, especially in the sandy soil, where these additions increased the ability of the soil to retain water and nutrients.As for heavy clay soils, it was effective in increasing aeration and increasing its ability to hold water [4].[5] applying Bio char to the soil at three levels ( 0%, 2 % and 4% ) of the pots size and found that treatment 2% significantly superior than 0 , 4 % in the organic matter and the availability of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium, plant height, leaf area, chlorophyll, fresh weight of shoot and total yield of eggplant . .Many studies have confirmed that applying bio char to the soil have impact soil characteristics, crop production, retention or absorption of different compounds [6], increasing nutrient and water holding capacity.[6,7] increasing water absorption, reducing N leaching and increasing nutrient uptake [8 ].
The bio char has also increased cation exchange capacity (CEC) and carbon storage [9,10].Bio char enhancing microbial activity.[11,12].The effect of bio char is more noticeable under poor soil conditions than in fertile soils and under sufficient rainfall [13,14].Bio-char appears to improve a soils ability to retain and use fertilizers, reducing the amount lost to leaching and increasing soil water retention [15].The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of bio char and amino acid (Steam growth and, green yield of onion variety (Karbala).

Materials and Methods
The experiment was carried out in Horticulture and Landscape Department / College of Agriculture and Forestry / University of Mosul, during 2021-2022 season to investigate the effect of bio char at three rate (0, 3.5, 7, 10.5 t.Ha -1 ) and three Concentrations of Amino acid(Steam)( 17.5-20.1% organic matter 2% total N, 1% organic N , 5% K2O , 6.2% amino acid, 1.1% free amino acid), (0 ,10 ,15 ml.L - 1 ) on growth , green yield of onion variety ( Karbala ).Onions bulblets ( Karbalai) variety with a diameter of (2-3 cm) were planted on 1/11/2021, in furrous 2 m length and 0.75 m width , and with equal distances of 10 cm between the bulblets .The bio-fertilizer biochar was added at a rate of ( 0, 3.5, 7.0, 10.5 t.Ha -1 ) and three Concentrations of Amino acid(Steam)(0,10,15 ml.L -1 ) was spray on the plant three times, the first one in 5/1/2022 and the second after 20 days from the first and the third after 20 days from the second The experiment was designed according to a randomized complete block design (RCBD) and the treatments were repeated three times..The following parameters were recorded :  Plant height (cm). Leaves number per plant. Fresh weight of Leaves per plant. Fresh weight of roots per plant. Numbr of bulbs per plant  Bulb diameter (cm). Diameter of bulb neck (cm). Average weight of bulb (g). Biological yield ( t.Ha -1 ) The results were statistically analysis according to the statistical analysis system (SAS) [16] and compared with the means by Duncan multiple rang test at 0.05 level [17].

Results
Table 1 illustrated the effect of bio char and Amino acid (Steam) on vegetative growth parameters of onion .It was found that applying bio char to the soil increased vegetative growth parameters, and the highest value of plant height (18.400 m.) was from 3.5 t.Ha -1 treatment with significant superior than other treatments.While the highest values of leaves number per plant (23.527 ) was from 10.5 t.Ha -1 treatment , and fresh weight of leaves per plant (732.78g ) , and fresh weight of roots per plant (44.889 g) was from 7.0 t.Ha -1 treatment.In regarding to amino acid effect , the highest value of plant height (18.3967 ) was from 15 ml.L -1 treatment , while highest value of leaves number per plant (21.4375 ) , fresh weight of leaves per plant (651.42 g ) , and fresh weight of roots per plant (42.333 g. ) was from 10 ml.L -1 treatment.The data in table 2 revealed the effect of bio char and amino acid (Steam) combination treatments on growth parameters of onion .The highest value of plant height ( 19.510 cm) was from interaction treatment between 3.5 t.Ha -1 bio char and 0 ml.L -1 amino acid, while the highest value of leaves number per plant (26.75 ) was from interaction treatment between 7.5 t.Ha -1 bio char and 10 ml.L -1 amino acid, the highest value of Fresh weight of Leaves per plant (788.50 g) was from interaction treatment between 7.0 t.Ha -1 bio char and 0 ml.L -1 amino acid , and the highest value of fresh weight of roots per plant (49.500 g.) was from interaction treatment between 0 t.Ha -1 bio char and 15 ml.L -1 amino acid .3, illustrated the effect of bio char and amino acid (Steam) on yield parameters of onion.It was found that applying bio char to the soil increased significantly all yield parameters.The highest value of number of bulbs per plant (1.520 ) , bulb diameter (68.356 mm.) diameter of bulb neck (29.767 mm) , biological yield (1.613 t.Ha -1 ) was from 7.0 t.Ha -1 treatment, While the highest value (1.613 t.Ha -1 ) was from 7.0 t.H -1 treatment, While the highest value average weight of bulb (139.75 g) was from 10.5 t.Ha -1 of bio char treatment.Regarding to amino acid effect, the highest value of bulb diameter ( 66.466 mm.) , average weight of bulb ( 135.50 g), biological yield ( 1.410 t.Ha -1 ) was from 10 ml.L -1 treatment.while the highest value  4 showed the effect of combination treatments between bio char and amino acid (Steam) in yield parameters of onion.It was found that the highest value of Number of bulbs per plant (1.8750 ) , and biological yield ( 1.8725 t.Ha -1 ) was from interaction treatment between 7.0 t.Ha -1 bio char and 0 ml.L -1 amino acid (Steam), while the highest value of bulb diameter (71.830 mm) , diameter of bulb neck (33.830 mm) , and average weight of bulb (161.50 g) was from interaction treatment between 7.0 t.Ha -1 bio char and 10 ml.L -1 amino acid (Steam).While the lowest values of number of bulbs per plant (1.000), bulb diameter (51.665mm), diameter of bulb neck (21.420 mm) average weight of bulb(90.00g.),andbiological yield(0.796t.Ha -1 was from interaction treatment between 0 t.Ha -1 bio char and 0 ml.L -1 amino acid (Steam).

Discussion
The results indicate that bio-char increased significantly the vegetative and yield parameters of onion, the findings of this study agree with [18] who has reported increased plant height in tomato crop was due to bio-char application.The results of field trial indicate that the application of bio-char improves the crop yield, beneficial effects on crop yields by bio-char have been also documented in a number of pot and field trials [19][20][21].The addition of bio-char to soil will amend the chemical and physical properties soils and turned into a valuable resource for improving crop yields on acid and infertile tropical soils where nutrient resources are scarce [22].Also the study results showed that amino acid increased significantly some vegetative and yield parameters (plant height , fresh weight of leaves per plant, bulb Diameter, bulb neck Diameter) and this may be due to the composition of the Steam which contain many mineral and amino acids which stimulate growth and yield .

Conclusion
From this study it can be Concluded that applying bio char in 7 t.Ha -1 doses to the soil significantly increased several growth and yield parameters (bulbs number, leaves number, bulb diameter , fresh and dry weight of leaves and roots ,plant yield , and biological yield) .Also spraying amino acid (Steam) at 15 ml.L -1 doses gave the highest values of plant height, fresh and dry weight of leaves and roots per plant, diameter of bulb neck .But highest values of average weight of bulb and biological yield was from spraying amino acid (Steam) at 10 ml.L -1 doses .The combination treatments between bio char and amino acid (Steam) show a significant effect in some vegetative growth and yield parameters of onion.

Table 1 .
Effect of bio char and Amino acid (Steam) on vegetative growth parameters of onion.

Table 2 .
Effect of combination treatments of bio char and amino acid (Steam) on growth parameters of onion.

Table 3 .
of bulbs per plant ( 1.458 ) was from 0 ml.L -1 treatment and the highest value of ( of bulb neck diameter ( 27.752 mm) was from 15 ml.L -1 treatment.Effect of bio char and amino acid (Steam) on yield parameters of onion.

Table 4 .
Effect of combination treatments between bio char and amino acid (Steam) in yield parameters of onion.