Allometric Growth Dynamics of Onion (Allium Cepa) Sampled from Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan

Allium cepa, an Amaryllidaceous member traditionally used as anti-thrombotic, anti-platelet, anti-asthmatic, anti-biotic, anti-carcinogenic and anti-blood clotting. It also improves sleep quality, circulation, skin and hair maintenance, hair growth stimulant, heart ailments, blood pressure, lowers cholesterol. Study was aimed at growth dynamics of Onion in two districts of Gilgit-Baltistan i.e. Hunza and Gilgit. Research revealed that mean leaf length (cm), width (cm) and area (cm2) of plant collected from Hunza were 14.88 cm, 0.43 cm and 9.0 cm2 respectively. In district Hunza leaf length grows 97.1 percent faster as compared to its growth in width and width increase is only 2.9% to the increase in leaf length. Similarly, plants collected from district Gilgit showed a mean values of leaf length, width and area as 25.05 cm, 0.59 cm and 10.1 cm2 respectively. Average growth of leaf length in Gilgit is 97.64 percent (%) faster than its growth in width which is only 2.35%. this shows that growth in district Gilgit is relatively higher (12.70%) than in Hunza. Roots arising from the bulb have an average length of 0.40 cm in Hunza as compared to 0.44 cm in Gilgit. This shows minute difference between the two and samples from Gilgit show around 10% long. Adventitious roots grow almost 97.3% slow as compared to its leaves above the ground. Mean weight of bulbs collected from district Hunza was 9.62g as compared to average 16.25g in Gilgit. Bulb growth in district Gilgit is almost 60% (59.2%) faster as compared to Hunza leading to bigger and heavier bulbs in Gilgit. Mean values of Onion populations from both the districts show leaf length (19.97cm), leaf width (0.506cm), leaf area (9.55 cm2), root length (0.42) and weight (12.936).