Sustainable enhancement of onion ( Allium cepa L.) production: the efficacy of Panchagavya as an organic foliar treatment for improved growth, yield, and quality

The growing global preference for organic products has increased the need for innovative, sustainable farming techniques. Onion (Allium cepa L.), a bulbous vegetable and condiment crop, has been cultivated and domesticated for more than 5000 years in the ancient world due to its distinctive pharmacological, medicinal, and culinary properties. This study investigates the potential of Panchagavya, an organic foliar treatment, to enhance the growth, yield, and quality of onions under sustainable farming systems. Conducted over two years (2020–2022) at the Horticultural Research Station, Mondouri, West Bengal, the experiment followed a Randomized Complete Block Design with six treatments (T1–T6) and four replications. Among the tested concentrations, the T5 treatment (200 ml Panchagavya per liter of water) demonstrated the most promising outcomes. It significantly improved plant height (60.24 cm), leaf length (58.95 cm), bulb weight (67.27 g), and overall yield (20.68 t ha−1) compared to the control. Quality parameters such as dry matter content (7.35%), total soluble solids (11.38 °Brix), ascorbic acid (5.20 mg 100 g−1), and total sugars (10.30%) were also markedly higher. These findings demonstrate that Panchagavya can effectively improve biological and environmental conditions, leading to enhanced crop performance and promoting economic viability and environmental sustainability.