Voice of the Industry • OnionWorld.net • January 2021
SHIFTING GEARS
For the Advertiser Index click here PLUS: Shank or Irrigate? • PNVA Takes Show Online
Table of Contents Magazines For Maximum Yield
ONION WORLD Volume 37, Number 1
January 2021
PO Box 333 Roberts, Idaho 83444 Telephone: (208) 520-6461
www.O n i o n W o r l d .n e t Onion World Contacts Publisher / Advertising Manager Dave Alexander dave@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com
6 Shifting Gears Four Star Ag
Editor Denise Keller editor@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com
11 PNVA Takes Show Online
Pacific Northwest Vegetable Association Conference
12 Irrigation Essentials Buyers' Guide
Director of Operations Brian Feist brian@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com
EDITORIAL INFORMATION
14 Shank or Irrigate?
Evaluating Methods of Application of Metam Sodium for Onion Production in the Columbia Basin
Onion World is interested in newsworthy material related to onion production and marketing. Contributions from all segments of the industry are welcome. Submit news releases, new product submissions, stories and photos via email to: editor@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com, or call (509) 697-9436.
ADVERTISING SALES For information on rates, mechanics, deadlines, list rental, direct mail, inserts or other information, call (208) 520-6461 or email: dave@onionworld.net
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A commercial shank fumigation applicator applies metam sodium as part of a research project evaluating fumigation methods in onions. See the story on page 14.
On the Cover As the COVID-19 pandemic shifted market conditions, Barry Vculek, owner of Four Star Ag in Oakes, N.D., adjusted plans for his 2020 onion crop. Read the story on page 6 to see how it panned out. Photo courtesy Four Star Ag
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Onion World • January 2021
Departments 13
Weeds Quiz
22
Calendar
23
In the News
Subscribe online at: www.OnionWorld.net or call (503) 724-3581. Email address changes/corrections to brian@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com or mail to: Onion World PO Box 333 Roberts, ID 83444 Onion World magazine (ISSN 1071-6653), is published eight times a year and mailed under a standard rate mailing permit at Idaho Falls, Idaho and at additional mailing offices. Produced by Columbia Media Group PO Box 333, Roberts, ID, 83444. Copyright 2021. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, for any purpose without the express written permission of Columbia Media Group. For information on reprints call (208) 520-6461.
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Four Star Ag
Shifting Gears Story by Denise Keller, Editor Photos courtesy Four Star Ag
Crews harvest a field of Hamilton onions at Four Star Ag in mid-September.
O
nion grower, packer and shipper Barry Vculek always tries to keep his finger on the pulse of the onion market. But in 2020, staying on top of – and if possible, ahead of – the market became more important than ever. When market conditions began to shift, Vculek chose to make a timely adjustment to his operation. And so far, it seems to have been the right call. Barry and Robin Vculek own Four Star Ag in Oakes, North Dakota, where they grow onions, corn and soybeans. The 5,000-acre farm includes 1,200 acres of yellow onions. Historically, 15 percent of Vculek’s onion crop has been grown for the process market, 25 percent for retail, and 60 percent for foodservice or repacking. But last spring, as Vculek was shipping 2019 storage onions, he began to notice the market change in response to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent shutdowns in the foodservice industry. “I’m also sitting in the marketing chair and all of a sudden, the mediums are becoming higher priced than the jumbos, and it’s getting harder and harder to sell jumbos and easier and easier to sell mediums,” Vculek recalls. “So we had to decide do we think that’s going to continue through the full next season or is it something that’s going to phase out and be normal by harvest time in September.” He did some quick research to understand how long the pandemic might last and found that few people felt it would be under control by the time he would be marketing the 2020 crop. Having this information prior to planting in late April, there was time to react. He decided to change the farm’s usual planting configuration, tightening the seed population to produce a smaller size profile. The adjustment resulted in a crop consisting of about 80 percent mediums and 20 percent jumbo/colossal onions. With the increased percentage of onions sized for retail, Four Star Ag needed to double the capacity of the packing shed’s consumer line and add more space to store the additional packaged product. “We went all in,” Vculek says. “We take production risks; we take marketing risks. This was just one more layer of risk.”
An employee at Four Star Ag helps unload a truck of freshly harvested onions.
In the Market
As of late 2020, the medium price is higher than the jumbo price, Vculek says. But with only about 20 percent of the crop shipped, time will tell if he made the right decision. For now, though, it appears so. “I’m feeling kind of proud of myself. I feel fortunate that we made that call,” the grower says. “I’d say the lesson is to follow the market or maybe even precede the market a little bit. Figure out where the market is going and try to get there.” Although shifting onion production from the foodservice market to retail may have helped Vculek minimize the effects of the pandemic on his operation,
the farm has not managed to escape the impact altogether. The difficulty in selling the jumbos from the 2019 storage crop last spring forced Vculek to store them longer than usual and eventually destroy some of the onions. “It’s very depressing. It really is, even if it’s just a couple of loads. You put all that money, effort and labor into growing a crop and putting it in storage and there’s still a lot of cost involved in carrying that storage all winter, and you don’t really want to give up the battle in the spring,” Vculek shares. “When you have to make the call, it’s a difficult call to make. But you have to look at the economics of it.” OnionWorld.net
7
Four Star Ag
Barry Vculek shows the space that was added to Four Star Ag’s packing facility in 2020. The space was needed to store additional packaged product after the farm grew more onions sized for retail last year. Atop the pile, an employee controls the piler as onions fill the storage shed.
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Onion World • January 2021
The global pandemic has also affected Four Star Ag’s usage of the H-2A program. The farm employs 20 laborers from Mexico and South Africa from mid-August until June. Doing so has become more difficult, with more hoops to jump through including virus testing requirements and travel restrictions.
In the Field
In a more typical year, Vculek faces a unique set of challenges in the field. He is the only onion grower in southeastern North Dakota and one of just a few producers in the state. With limited production in the region, there has been little research conducted specific to local growing conditions. Therefore, he often takes advice from extension services in the east on disease issues and looks to the west for guidance on production practices. He grows varieties similar to what’s grown in the Pacific Northwest, but due to a shorter growing season, yields are not as high and the window to plant is tight. Similarly, the harvest window can be fairly narrow, as well, because it can get bitterly cold in October. Winter can also be brutal, the grower says, with temperatures dipping below 0 degrees Fahrenheit. A major upside, however, is the absence of onion thrips in the region, possibly due to the cold winter. This saves Vculek from having to treat fields for the pest, reducing input costs. He can also get away with using less fungicide than his eastern counterparts in Michigan and New York since the region is less humid. The greatest challenge has been weed control, mainly small-seeded broadleaf weeds. However, Vculek has been working with researchers at the nearby North Dakota State University experiment station and believes they’re starting to pinpoint an effective program.
In the Industry
Farming in North Dakota is familiar territory for the Vculek family. Barry Vculek’s great-grandfather settled there in the mid- to late-1890s. Decades later, Barry’s father developed irrigation in the area and began growing dry beans and potatoes. Barry grew up on the family farm and farmed part-time while
attending North Dakota State University. In 2007, Vculek and a handful of other growers got into the onion business and were delivering onions to a packer in the area. After a year or two, Vculek was the only one wanting to continue with the crop. He purchased the packer’s equipment, started packaging his own onions and increased his farm’s acreage. Soon after, Vculek joined the National Onion Association (NOA). Initially, the organization was a source of knowledge and meetings provided opportunities to network. As time went on, the legislative
function of the NOA drew him in as he found ways to contribute. He serves on the NOA’s legislative and environmental committees and has lobbied in Washington D.C. several times. As the only grower from North Dakota in the NOA, Vculek brings valuable connections with the state’s lawmakers. This includes Sen. John Hoeven, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee, which is important for funding projects of interest to the NOA, Vculek says. Given the work done by the NOA, he is disconcerted
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Four Star Ag
by the number of growers not in the organization. “The association is doing enough good things that they should be able to get a few more of those growers on board,” Vculek says. “If we can move more onions and get a better price, everybody benefits from that.” Looking ahead, Vculek is optimistic that per capita onion consumption will continue to increase as more people are cooking at home and many consumers are being introduced to onions through the USDA Farmers to Families Food Box Program. On his farm, he plans to continue using the production practices from 2020 to cultivate onions and widen his customer base in the retail market.
Barry Vculek stands in front of Four Star Ag’s newly acquired consumer package machine, which was added to accommodate the increased percentage of the farm’s 2020 crop grown for the retail market.
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Onion World • January 2021
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PNVA Takes Show Online
Onion World Buyers Guide_Sept2018_Layout 1 9/25/2018 9:17 AM Page 1
T
he Pacific Northwest Vegetable Association (PNVA) held its 2020 conference virtually Nov. 18-19. While COVID-19 restrictions kept the annual event from being held in person, organizers were still able to provide a packed program with a full slate of presentations on onions, organics, pest management and general vegetable production. Each session drew a crowd of about 150 to 200 people and provided an opportunity for speakers to interact with attendees during a live Q&A session that followed their pre-recorded presentations. The onion session covered everything from managing weeds, diseases and thrips to reasons for poor emergence, reduced stands and stunting. Lindsey du Toit with Washington State University presented new information about research evaluating fumigation application methods of metam sodium. See “Shank or Irrigate?” on pages 14-21 for an in-depth report on that topic. The PNVA is scheduled to hold its 2021 conference Nov. 17-18 at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick, Washington. Organizers are looking forward to seeing everyone in person next fall.
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Irrigation Essentials Buyers’ Guide
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Flo Pro keeps low-flow irrigation lines clean and maximizes crop production. Flo Pro combines plugging-prevention chemistry with a patent-pending soil conditioner that improves absorption and targets root zones for water and nutrient retention and uptake. Flo Pro uses fifth-generation amines and phosphonate chemistries to provide a cost-effective product to remove and prevent plugging in low-volume irrigation systems. Used at low usage rates, it makes water unsuitable for biological hosts. According to the manufacturer, the product changes the nature of the soil in the root zone from hydrophobic to hydrophilic, allowing the soil to retain water and nutrients in the critical root zone for optimum plant uptake. Power Flush unplugs drip tape emitters and micro-jets quickly and safely, restoring drip system efficiency. With its high-oxidative power, Power Flush reacts quickly and powerfully, clearing out plugging materials. An exclusive blend of oxygen and peroxyacetic acid, Power Flush is more effective than hydrogen peroxide at significantly lower feed rates, and the liquid is safer and more convenient than fuming acids and toxic gases. There are no halogenated hydrocarbon byproducts with Power Flush as can be seen with chlorine and chlorine gas treatments, and any residuals are readily biodegradable and friendly to the environment.
Jain Irrigation • www.jainsusa.com/monitoring-control Jain Logic
Jain Logic is a cost-effective and efficient way to measure actual, field-specific water consumption for onion and potato crops throughout the year on a regular basis. Using satellite and weather data, Jain Irrigation can compute the crop water consumption (ETc) for any field. This information is available on a dashboard or sent directly to a user’s inbox every seven days. Each weekly report will include table values and charts of the previous week’s crop water consumption and a thematically colored map showing the ETc uniformity for each field. Each field report will include an Excel spreadsheet that will show uniformity trends, water budgets and total water field usage. Jain Logic can help growers optimize water consumption and monitor the irrigation efficiencies on their farm.
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Reinke has released a new application for its GPS guidance system. Skone Irrigation, a Reinke dealer in Pasco and Warden, Washington, is now able to install Reinke’s GPS guidance on any Valley corner machine. This is a very reliable system and is a great option for systems that are encountering issues with buried wire guidance. This system can replace a current pathway or allow a user to realign the pathway to accommodate a newer structure or circle design. A simple download from a zip drive program and even in-field realignment is possible with this system. With a new install of the guidance system, irrigators can fix longstanding areas of concern, and the system can be moved onto machines purchased in the future.
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Onion World • January 2021
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Onion Weeds Quiz
This material is provided courtesy of Joel Felix, Associate Professor, Weed Ecology & Management, Oregon State University Malheur Experiment Station.
Weeds are commonly found in most crop fields. Weed diversity in different fields is governed by many factors, including the level or intensity of tillage, soil fertility, crop rotation practiced, and whether organic or conventional farming. Successful management of weeds depends on our ability to correctly identify them, particularly at the seedling stage in order to avoid seed production. Have you ever seen these weeds on your farm or the neighbor’s farm? What are they? Answers on page 22
A
B
C
D E OnionWorld.net
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Shank or Irrigate?
Evaluating Methods of Application of Metam Sodium for Onion Production in the Columbia Basin By Lindsey du Toit, Plant Pathologist, and Tim Waters, Regional Vegetable Extension Specialist, Washington State University
R
uss Ingham, Oregon State University nematologist, demonstrated an economic benefit of applying oxamyl (Vydate) to onion fields in the Columbia Basin (central Washington and northcentral Oregon) that had stubby root nematode populations as low as 4 Paratrichodorus allius/250 g soil. However, there is no data on the effects of soil fumigation with metam sodium on stubby root nematode in onion production in this region. Metam sodium is used increasingly in the Columbia Basin to target multiple pests of onion, including Figure 1. With this chemigation simulator, water is applied via a high-output pump, and the setup is pulled by a standard 100-HP tractor. Photo courtesy Mike Derie, WSU
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Onion World • January 2021
the stubby root nematode, weeds and soilborne diseases such as pink root (caused by Setophoma terrestris) and Fusarium basal rot (caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cepae). Metam sodium typically is applied by chemigation through center pivots or by shanking to one or more depths. However, the method of application has a major influence on the location of metam sodium in the soil profile as the product has extremely poor vapor pressure and, therefore, poor mobility in soil. In other words, it must be placed physically where the target pest is located to be effective. Most pink root and Fusarium basal rot inoculum is in the top 8-12 inches of the soil, whereas the weed seed bank that contributes to weed pressure in a crop is in the top 2-4 inches. Stubby root nematodes, in contrast, are migratory ectoparasites that feed externally on the tips of onion roots and migrate up or down the soil profile depending on soil temperature and moisture. The nematodes move as deep as 24 to 48 inches during the heat of summer in the Columbia Basin.
Objective
The objective of a recent study was to evaluate the effect of chemigated versus shanked applications of metam sodium for control of stubby root nematode (Paratrichodorus spp.), pink root (Setophoma terrestris), Fusarium basal rot (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cepae) and weeds in onion crops. The results will help clarify appropriate methods of application to get the best results when using metam sodium to control specific pests of onion in the Columbia Basin.
Field Trials
A trial was set up in each of two fields in the Columbia Basin in the fall of 2019, based on pre-fumigation sampling of fields on a 2-acre-grid basis by the growers: 1) a field near Pasco, Washington, with a soil pH of 6.2 and that was infested with 65 CFU of S. terrestris/500 g soil; and 2) a field near Othello, Washington, with a soil pH of 7.4 and that was infested with 120 and 540 stubby root and root lesion nematodes/500 cc soil, respectively. Soil sampled 12 inches deep from each of the
Figure 2. A commercial shank fumigation applicator applies metam sodium.
20 plots (25 cores/plot) in each trial in early October 2019 was used to determine the baseline population of the pink root pathogen and nematodes in each plot prior to fumigation. Each trial was set up as a randomized complete block design with four replicate blocks of five metam sodium treatments: 1) no metam sodium, 2) simulated chemigation (1-2 inches deep),
3) single shank injection ~10 inches deep, 4) double shank injection at 4- and 10-inch depths, and 5) chemigated (treatment 2) + shanked (treatment 3) applications. Each plot in each trial was 30 feet x 150 feet. Fumigation treatments were done in Pasco on Oct. 7, 2019, and in Othello on Oct. 24, 2019. Sectagon 42 was applied at 40 GPA with the
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Metam Sodium Application
Figure 3. The amount of metam sodium in the soil 40 hours after fumigation was measured using post-fumigation sampling grids, as seen here. Photo courtesy Kyle Coleman, NovaSource
chemigation simulator (Fig. 1) using 0.75 inches of water. For treatment 5, the same procedure was used with 20 GPA Sectagon 42 applied by chemigation + 20 GPA with a commercial shank applicator 10 inches deep. The commercial shank applicator is 28 feet wide (Fig. 2). Treatments 3 and 4 were applied with the commercial shank applicator, and half of treatment 5 was applied with this apparatus.
Approximately 40 hours after fumigation, Kyle Coleman of NovaSource used a MiniRae 3000 photoionization detector to measure the amount of metam sodium at each of seven 2-inch increments from 2 to 14 inches deep, at each of 10 2-inch increments horizontally, for 70 measurements per plot (Fig. 3). The amount of metam sodium detected (parts per million = ppm) and percentage of product detected at each of the 70 grid
locations varied among treatments. At the Pasco trial, a majority of metam sodium was at the 4-inch depth in chemigated plots, whereas shank applications distributed metam sodium more evenly across the soil profile from 6 to 10 inches deep. More metam sodium was detected in the soil profile in plots with shank applications compared to plots with chemigation alone. At the Othello trial, soil moisture
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20 15 10 5
Othello
Chemigated+Shanked 10"
Shanked 4+10"
Shanked 10"
Chemigated
Control
Chemigated+Shanked 10"
Shanked 4+10"
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0 Control
terrestris>>> (CFU/g soil)
<<<Setophonma Setophonma terrestris (CFU/g soil)
25
Pasco
Pre-fumigation Setophoma terrestris (CFU/g soil)
Spring Setophoma terrestris (CFU/g soil)
Figure 4. Soil-borne inoculum density of the pink root pathogen, <<<Setophoma terrestris,>>>
Figure 4. Soil-borne inoculum density of the pink root pathogen, Setophoma terrestris, measured in measured in fall 2019 (prior to applying 42 by chemigation shanking) and in fall 2019 (prior to applying Sectagon 42 by Sectagon chemigation and/or shanking,and/or represented by the solid spring 2020 trial) (at the of planting onion onion field trials near Othello, Wash., bars for each andtime in spring 2020 (at the seed) time ofinplanting onion seed, represented by the and hashed bars) in onion trials plots near were Othello, and Pasco, Wash. Control the plots were±not fumigated. Pasco, Wash.field Control notWash., fumigated. Each bar represents mean standard error Each bar represents the mean ± standard error of four plots. 100
80 60 40
Othello Severity of pink root (%)
Chemigated+Shanked 10"
Shanked 4+10"
Shanked 10"
Chemigated
Shanked 4+10"
Shanked 10"
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0
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20 Chemigated+Shanked 10"
Pink root incidence or severity (%)
was at ~80 percent saturation during fumigation, which was closer to the recommended soil moisture level for effective fumigation than the 50 percent soil moisture content at the Pasco trial during the Sectagon 42 applications. This resulted in greater metam sodium readings in chemigated plots overall at Othello compared to Pasco. Metam sodium levels in plots with chemigated + shanked applications were at least four times greater in the Othello trial than the Pasco trial. This shows the importance of adequate soil moisture during fumigation with metam sodium to increase efficacy of applications, particularly by chemigation. Soil was sampled from each plot in each trial again in spring 2020, shortly after each field was planted with onion seed by the grower, to assess residual impacts of fall fumigation treatments on pink root and nematode populations at planting. The incidence of broadleaf and
Pasco Incidence of bulbs with pink root (%)
of four plots. Figure 5. Severity of pink root (% of roots per bulb with symptoms) and incidence of bulbs (%) with pink root mid-summer 2020 in onion field trials near Othello, Wash., and Pasco, Wash.
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Pre-fumigation Setophoma terrestris (CFU/g soil)
Metam Sodium Application
Spring Setophoma terrestris (CFU/g soil)
100 80 60 40 20
Severity of pink root (%)
Chemigated+Shanked 10"
Shanked 4+10"
Shanked 10"
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Othello
Pasco Incidence of bulbs with pink root (%)
of four plots. Figure 5. Severity of pink root (%(%ofofroots withsymptoms, symptoms) and incidence bulbs (%) Figure 5. Severity of pink root rootsper per bulb bulb with represented by theofdarker-colored withbars) pinkand rootincidence mid-summer 2020 onion fieldbytrials near Othello,bars) Wash., Wash. of bulbs (%, in represented the lighter-colored withand pinkPasco, root mid-summer 2020 in onion field trials near Othello, Wash., and Pasco, Wash. Control plots were not fumigated. All other plots were treated with Sectagon 42 by chemigation and/or shanking in fall 2019. Each bar represents the mean Âą standard error of four plots.
18
grass weed control was rated on April 27, 2020, in Pasco and April 29, 2020, in Othello, and the incidence and severity of pink root and Fusarium basal rot were rated on July 23, 2020, in Pasco and Aug. 6, 2020, in Othello for 40 to 50 bulbs from each plot in each trial.
Results
0
Chemigated+Shanked 10"
Pink root incidence or severity (%)
Figure 4. Soil-borne inoculum density of the pink root pathogen, <<<Setophoma terrestris,>>> measured in fall 2019 (prior to applying Sectagon 42 by chemigation and/or shanking) and in spring 2020 (at the time of planting onion seed) in onion field trials near Othello, Wash., and Pasco, Wash. Control plots were not fumigated. Each bar represents the mean Âą standard error
Onion World â&#x20AC;˘ January 2021
Soil-borne inoculum of the pink root pathogen, S. terrestris, measured in fall 2019 prior to applying the Sectagon 42 treatments, averaged 11.6 CFU/g in the Othello trial and 6.9 CFU/g in the Pasco trial. In both trials, there was a significant decline in soil-borne inoculum by spring of 2020, regardless of fumigation treatment. Compared to non-fumigated control plots, none of the methods of applying Sectagon 42 reduced inoculum of S. terrestris (Fig. 4), and none reduced the percentage (incidence) of bulbs that developed pink root or the severity of pink root (Fig. 5). Similarly, none of the methods of applying Sectagon 42 reduced the percentage (incidence) of bulbs with Fusarium basal rot or the severity of Fusarium basal rot (Fig. 6). Grass weed pressure was minimal in both trials in late April. In the Othello trial, none of the fumigation treatments reduced broadleaf weed pressure compared to non-fumigated control plots (Fig. 7). In fact, broadleaf weed pressure was greater in plots shanked 10 inches deep with Sectagon 42 compared to control plots. In contrast, plots shanked with Sectagon 42 at 10 inches or at 4-inch + 10-inch depths had fewer broadleaf weeds than chemigated plots (Fig. 7). Combined chemigation and shanking of Sectagon 42 did not improve weed control compared to shanking alone in the Pasco trial. Very low populations of stubby root nematode were detected in the prefumigation soil samples at the Othello trial (1 to 3 nematodes/250 cc soil) despite the trial being located in a 2-acre section of the field that had high enough numbers of this nematode several months earlier to be damaging to onions (Table 1). Root lesion nematodes also were too low to be damaging to onion plants (30 to 120 nematodes/250 cc soil), and similarly for root knot, stunt and pin nematodes. However, in June 2020, distinct patches
Othello
Chemigated+Shanked 10"
Shanked 4+10"
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Chemigated
Control
Chemigated+Shanked 10"
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45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Control
Fusarium basal rot incidence (%) or severity (0-3 x 10)
Control plots were not fumigated. All other plots were treated with Sectagon 42 by chemigation and/or shanking in fall 2019. Each bar represents the mean ± standard error of four plots.
Pasco
Severity of Fusarium basal rot (0-3 scale)
Incidence of bulbs with Fusarium basal rot (%)
Othello Incidence of broadleaf weeds (%)
Chemigated+Shanked 10"
Shanked 4+10"
Chemigated
!
NEW Control
Chemigated+Shanked 10"
Shanked 4+10"
Shanked 10"
Chemigated
Control
40.00 35.00 30.00 25.00 20.00 15.00 10.00 5.00 0.00
Shanked 10"
Figure6.6.Severity Severity Fusarium basal scale x 10) and incidence bulbs (%) with Figure ofof Fusarium basal rotrot (0-3(0-3 scale x 10, represented by the of darker-colored bars rot mid-summer 2020 in onion field trials near Othello, Wash., and Pasco, inFusarium each trial)basal and incidence of bulbs (%, represented by the lighter-colored bars in each trial) with Wash. Fusarium rot mid-summer 2020 in trials near Othello, Wash., and Pasco, Control basal plots were not fumigated. Allonion otherfield plots were treated with Sectagon 42 by Wash. chemigation Control plots were not fumigated. All other plots were treated with Sectagon 42 by chemigation and/or and/or shanking in fall 2019. Each bar represents the mean ± standard error of four plots. shanking in fall 2019. Each bar represents the mean ± standard error of four plots. Broadleaf weeds or grass weeds (% of plot)
of stunted plants were observed in the Othello field, caused by stubby root and lesion nematodes (18 and 153/250 cc soil, respectively). The distribution of stunted patches made it difficult to assess efficacy of the treatments against nematodes, but there was no evidence that any of the methods of Sectagon 42 application provided nematode control based on some of the large patches crossing over multiple plots (Fig. 8). Very few plant parasitic nematodes were detected in the Pasco trial (Table 1). Overall, the results indicated very limited to no efficacy of the chemigated and shanked applications of Sectagon 42 for control of weeds, pink root, Fusarium basal rot and nematodes under the conditions of these trials. The low levels of some of these pests in one or both trials limited the ability to assess efficacy of the applications against those problems. Soil moisture at the time of application had a very big influence on concentration and distribution of the fumigant in the soil profile. Ideally, soil should be maintained at about 80 percent soil moisture for several weeks prior to fumigation, along
Pasco Incidence of grass weeds (%)
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Othello
Chemigate 10
Shan
Sh
C
Chemigate 10
Shan
Sh
C
Metam Sodium Application
Pasco
Severity of Fusarium basal rot (0-3 scale)
Incidence of bulbs with Fusarium basal rot (%)
Othello Incidence of broadleaf weeds (%)
Chemigated+Shanked 10"
Shanked 4+10"
Shanked 10"
Chemigated
Control
Chemigated+Shanked 10"
Shanked 4+10"
Shanked 10"
Chemigated
40.00 35.00 30.00 25.00 20.00 15.00 10.00 5.00 0.00 Control
Broadleaf weeds or grass weeds (% of plot)
Figure 6. Severity of Fusarium basal rot (0-3 scale x 10) and incidence of bulbs (%) with Fusarium basal rot mid-summer 2020 in onion field trials near Othello, Wash., and Pasco, Wash. Control plots were not fumigated. All other plots were treated with Sectagon 42 by chemigation and/or shanking in fall 2019. Each bar represents the mean ± standard error of four plots.
Pasco Incidence of grass weeds (%)
Figure 7. Area of the plot (% of soil surface) with broadleaf weeds (represented by the darker-colored bars in each trial) or grass weeds (represented by the lighter-colored bars) in late April 2020 in onion field trials near Othello, Wash., and Pasco, Wash. Control plots were not fumigated. All other plots were treated with Sectagon 42 by chemigation and/or shanking in fall 2019. Each bar represents the mean ± standard error of four plots.
with good soil preparation to improve distribution of metam sodium in the soil profile. This research was funded by the Columbia Basin Onion Research Committee, Washington State Commission for Pesticide Registration and Washington State University Hatch Project No. WNP00010. Authors’ note: Application of a pesticide to a crop or site that is not on the label is a violation of pesticide law and may subject the applicator to civil penalties. In addition, such an application may also result in illegal residues that could subject the crop to seizure or embargo action. It is the user’s responsibility to check the label before using any product to ensure lawful use and obtain all necessary permits in advance.
Figure 8. Patches of severely stunted onion plants in the Othello, Wash., trial were caused by stubby root and root lesion nematodes. Patches were located across plots with different treatments, meaning there was no evidence that any of the Sectagon 42 treatments reduced this nematode damage.
20
Onion World • January 2021
Table 1. Populations of nematodes detected in soil samples in fall 2019 (prior to applying Sectagon 42 by chemigation and/or shanking) and in spring 2020 (at the time of planting onion seed) in an onion field trial near Othello, Wash.
Mean nematode population (per 250 cc soil) Nematodes Stubby root (Paratrichodorus) Root lesion (Pratylenchus) Root knot (Meloidogyne)
Sampling
Control
Chemigated
Shanked 10”
Shanked 4+10”
Chemigated + Shanked 10”
Fall ‘19
1
3
3
1
1
Spring ‘20
1
1
1
1
1
Fall ‘19
30 ± 16
103 ± 69
120 ± 65
40 ± 23
101 ± 61
Spring ‘20
34 ± 22
36 ± 22
12 ± 4
52 ± 36
42 ± 28
Fall ‘19
30 ± 12
10 ± 4
3±1
7±3
5±2
Spring ‘20
1±1
2±2
12 ± 7
1±1
3±2
Stunt (Tylenchorhynchus)
Fall ‘19
1
1
3
1
1
Spring ‘20
0
1
1
0
0
Pin (Paratylenchus)
Fall ‘19
14 ± 7
18 ± 7
6±4
1±1
12 ± 7
Spring ‘20
6±5
16 ± 10
20 ± 11
79 ± 58
8±5
Spring ‘20
2,032
1,441
1,956
2,170
2,569
± 611
± 454
± 749
± 775
± 177
Non-plant parasitic
Control plots were not fumigated. Chemigated and shanked applications of Sectagon 42 were done in October 2019. Fall 2019 soil samples were collected before applying Sectagon 42. Spring 2020 soil samples were collected when the field was planted with onion seed. Each value is the mean ± standard error of four plots.
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Onion Weeds Quiz Answers
Calendar
From page 13
Photos A through E represent different growth stages of yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus), a perennial weed known to be a “card-carrying member of the worst weeds in the world.” Photo A depicts tubers (also called nutlets) arranged along a soil profile (close to soil surface to about 12-inch depth). Mature tubers are darker in color and found mostly in the top 6 inches of the soil. Yellow nutsedge is capable of producing an enormous number of tubers if growing without competition and moisture is not limited. Tubers could last three to five years in the soil. Photo B is a yellow nutsedge seedling. Yellow nutsedge is capable of emerging from as deep as 18 inches in the soil. Tubers in the top 2 inches of the soil emerge first and those at deeper soil levels emerge late. Photo C shows yellow nutsedge seedlings, while Photo D depicts the main plant with rhizomes that grow underground and help to extend the zone covered by yellow nutsedge in a field. Photo E shows yellow nutsedge growing through potato tubers. Yellow nutsedge not only reduces yield through competition with a crop for moisture and nutrients, it is also capable of reducing produce quality.
t pair
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In the News
Cornell to Develop Thrips Management App
A new app designed for better thrips management is in the works at Cornell University. Onion researchers at Cornell received nearly $100,000 from the USDA’s Specialty Crop Block Grant program. The funding is earmarked for a project aimed at advancing thrips management in onion using a new sampling plan and app. Brian Nault, a professor of entomology, and Denis Willett, an assistant professor of entomology, will lead the project, assisted by Lidia Komondy, a Ph.D. student. Currently, guidelines are available to growers for season-long thrips control using fewer insecticide applications based on action thresholds. While these guidelines are more efficient and generate cost savings in insecticides, they depend on significant efforts in sampling onion fields for thrips to determine if densities have exceeded an action threshold, which can keep growers from using the guidelines, Nault says. With the grant funding, the researchers will implement a research-based sampling plan for thrips and develop an app that includes the sampling plan, past spray records and the thrips management guidelines. This will reduce sampling time needed for making accurate control decisions, thereby increasing adoption of the management guidelines, which will ultimately decrease insecticide applications and grower expenses, according to the researchers.
Farming Takes Top Spot in Opinion Poll
For the first time in Gallup’s 20 years of tracking Americans’ views of various business and industry sectors, farming and agriculture is the clear leader. The poll asked respondents to rate their overall view of a list of business sectors. Farming and agriculture was already among the top-rated industries, but now it moved to the number one spot with a 69 percent positive rating, up 11 percent. The former top-ranking industries – restaurants and computers – remain in the top four, with the grocery industry rounding out the group. The latest rankings reflect significant changes in the ratings of six industries, three of which are delivering vital goods and services to Americans during the pandemic. These three – healthcare, farming and pharmaceuticals – are all rated more positively in 2020 than the previous year.
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