INCREASE OF ONION YIELD THROUGH LOW-DOSE OF GAMMA-IRRADIATION OF ITS SEEDS

The increase of onions' yield could be achieved by the common farmer t hrough the use of nuclear techniques. This report describes the result s obtained with the irradiation of onion seeds, with low doses of gamm a radiations (Cobalt-60), at doses of 0 (control), 150, 400 and 700 Gy . Beyond the proper onion's variety also the use of low dose rates of 13.1, 39.2 and 52.3 Gy per hour were of the great importance during ir radiation. The results showed to be promising, both in laboratory stud ies and in the field, resulting in an increase of onions production: A greater number of seedlings, bulbs and a higher yield in weight per h ectar were planted. In the field the most promising dose and dose rate to the variety ''Super-X'' were respectively 150 Gy and 13.1 Gy per h our, yielding an 24.9 percent heavier weight of onions than the contro l. The other tested variety was ''Granex-33'', which did not respond s o favorable to irradiation. However, also with this variety we harvest ed a 2.1 percent heavier weight than its control if the onion seeds we re irradiated with the dose of 700 Gy at a dose dose rate of 13.1 Gy p er hour.