With the objective of evaluating the effect of different planting spacings on yield characteristics and bulb weight loss, an experiment was carried out from September 1999 to March 2000, in Petrolina, Pernambuco State, Brazil, in a randomized complete block design, in a 2 x 3 factorial scheme, with four replications. The cultivar Texas Grano 502 PRR was planted at 0.10 and 0.15 m row spacings and at 0.10; 0.15 and 0.30 m plant spacings. For commercial yield, it was verified that the row spacing of 0,10 m showed highest yield (37.8 t ha-1) comparatively to the row spacing of 0,15 m (34.4 t ha-1) with linear reductions with the increase in plant spacing. The fresh mass of bulbs increased linearly as the spacings between rows and between plants increased. Larger percentages of small and medium bulbs were obtained with the narrowest spacings. As spacing between plants increased, a larger loss of onion bulb mass was found.
Allium cepa L.; yield; spacing; postharvest conservation
