Onion World May/June 2018

ONION WORLD OnionWorld.net • May/June 2018

Variety Buyers' Guide

Trade Trends Utah, Vidalia Meetings Whole-Farm Management to Reduce Onion Thrips

Table of Contents Magazines For Maximum Yield

ONION WORLD Volume 34, Number 4

May/June 2018 4 8

www.O n i o n W o r l d .n e t Onion World Contacts

Controlling Thrips

Whole-Farm Management to Reduce Onion Thrips

Exports of Fresh Onions, Shallots From the Netherlands Trade Trends

9

PO Box 333 Roberts, Idaho 83444 Telephone: (208) 520-6461

Awards Celebration Caps off Vidalia Season Vidalia Onion Committee

Publisher / Advertising Manager Dave Alexander dave@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com Editor Denise Keller editor@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com Director of Operations Brian Feist brian@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com

EDITORIAL INFORMATION

10

Experts Update Utah Growers

16

Short- and Intermediate-Day Onion Variety Update

Utah Onion Association Winter Meeting Buyers' Guide

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.

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A researcher removes soil water from lysimeters via suction for nitrate analysis as part of a study looking at the effects of prior crop rotation and applied nitrogen fertilizer on the number of onion thrips and Iris yellow spot virus incidence. See the story on page 4.

On the Cover Seed companies show off their short- and intermediate-day varieties.

Check out the full selection in the Short- and Intermediate-Day Onion Variety Buyers’ Guide starting on page 16.

2

Onion World • May/June 2018

Departments

13 14 14

New Products Calendar 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 2017. 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.

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3

Controlling Thrips:

Whole-Farm Management to Reduce Onion Thrips

By Kristie Buckland, Vegetable and Specialty Seed Crop Extension Specialist, Oregon State University

Kristie Buckland uses a soil suction lysimeter to monitor nitrate movement through the soil profile. Small tubes were used to access soil water at 3 and 6 feet below onions.

W

ith the constant threat of thrips in onion production and the increasing challenge of managing the pest, researchers continue to look toward whole-farm management strategies to reduce onion thrips populations.

Onion thrips are one of the biggest pest problems in onion production. Feeding damage from onion thrips can reduce yields considerably. Also, Iris yellow spot virus (IYSV) can be transmitted by onion thrips, resulting in devastating losses.

Growers frequently rely on insecticide sprays as often as every seven to 10 days to suppress thrips. Reports of insecticide resistance have increased in the last decade, making effective control even more challenging. There is a need for alternative methods to control onion thrips.

Two research projects at Utah State University in 2009 and 2010 were conducted to examine the potential for changes in farm management practices to reduce thrips and IYSV disease pressure.

4

Onion World • May/June 2018

Crop Rotation, Nitrogen Application

The first study looked at the effects of prior crop rotation and applied nitrogen fertilizer on the number of onion thrips and IYSV incidence. In the year prior to onions, fields were planted to either wheat or corn with no fertilizer or insecticide applications. During onion production, there were three nitrogen (N) fertility treatments tested. The first treatment had a total of 400 pounds N/acre; the second treatment totaled 135 pounds N/acre; the third also had 135 pounds N/acre and also included a soil bio-stimulant product.

Fertilizer treatments were split at fall, spring pre-plant, June and July dates to provide readily available N during rapid onion growth.

Although there were large differences in applied N, there were no yield differences between fertilizer treatments or prior crop rotation. Neither total yield nor size category of onions were different among

treatments. There was also no difference in disease incidence, although overall disease pressure was low both years.

However, there was a difference in the number of thrips per plant and available soil N. There were more thrips on onions planted after wheat than after corn (Fig. 1); there was also more N in the soil after wheat than corn. Onions with the highest N fertilizer rate and the bio-stimulant treatment had more thrips than onions with the reduced rate of N alone (Fig. 2). Soil N was higher with high fertilizer rates than both of the reduced fertilizer rates.

The results of this first study suggest that prior crop rotation can have a dramatic effect on onion thrips populations and soil N. Plots that had more applied N also had more adult thrips. Since there was no difference in yields observed, a reduction in applied N fertilizer seems a reasonable approach to reduce thrips without negative effects on plant growth. These results suggest that it is possible to reduce onion

thrips populations by changing crop rotations and available soil nitrogen.

Trap Crops

The second field study was an exploratory study attempting to identify plants that might be used as a trap crop for onion thrips in onions. Trap crops have been used in many cropping systems to provide either a “push” or “pull” type of effect on invading pests. In this project, the selected trap crops were intended to provide a highly attractive alternative food source to invading adult thrips, thereby diverting thrips away from onions. Ideally, these trap crops could provide enough of a “pull” to concentrate thrips within the trap crops, avoiding damage to onions. The trap crops could then be treated to control thrips, saving time and money with a smaller area of application.

Carrot and buckwheat were selected for trap crops because of their potential to provide a secondary crop that could also be harvested. The third crop was lacey phacelia, a quick-growing, highly attractive flowering plant frequently used to attract insects. Trap crops were planted in 15-foot long sections within a single bed of a commercial onion field. Onion thrips populations were measured within trap crops and in onions up to 40 feet away from the trap crop plantings.

The results of trap crop plantings on onion thrips populations were mixed. Early in the season when onions were small, lacey phacelia was large and attractive to thrips. However, lacey phacelia bloomed and senesced by early July, before the peak of onion thrips populations. Buckwheat and carrot grew more slowly early in the spring, but were present during the full onion production season. Buckwheat was attractive to thrips later, around July, when it was large and in bloom. Carrot did not appear to pull significant numbers of thrips away from nearby onions.

Trap crops did not significantly reduce onion thrips populations at distances farther than about 3 feet from the trap plots. The effects of an attractive trap crop were limited to a small area when planted in the middle of an onion field as in this study. However, trap crops planted along field edges may be more effective. There were also slightly higher rates of IYSV detected on onions closer to trap crops.

Onion thrips feed on plants and can reduce yield. Photo courtesy Dan Olmstead, Cornell University

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5

Controlling Thrips

Figure 1. Number of adult onion thrips (OT) per plant in 2009 following corn (C) or wheat (W) the prior year

This might mean that thrips tended to stay within trap crops once pulled away from the onions.

The trap crop study demonstrates a few keys concepts that need further investigation. First, trap crops could be effective to divert thrips away from onions, but the range of “pull� is limited. A trap crop planting along the field edges might be more effective in containing onion thrips as they invade the field and would likely be easier to manage throughout the season. Second, trap crops are complex to manage for proper timing of plant life cycles. The growth of both onions and trap crops need to be planned to provide a full season of attractive alternative crops.

It may be more feasible to use multiple trap crop species such as a mixture of lacey phacelia for early season flowering inter-seeded with buckwheat for mid- to late-season flowering.

Research Conclusions

Figure 2. Number of adult onion thrips (OT) per plant in standard, bio-stimulant and reduced fertilizer rates

These onion leaves show symptoms of Iris yellow spot virus (IYSV). The oblong yellowing lesions reduce photosynthetic area and can greatly reduce yields.

Overall, these studies could provide some promising strategies to decrease thrips incidence and reduce insecticide use. Changing crop rotations and reducing nitrogen inputs seems likely to reduce onion thrips while maintaining yields.

Also, using a trap crop to divert onion thrips from onions has potential but needs further refining in field trials to fine-tune trap crop location and timing.

These projects were funded through a Western SARE grant through Utah State University and involved Kristie Buckland, Jennifer Reeve, Dan Drost, Diane Alston and Claudia Nischwitz. References to published data are available on request.

Researchers monitor onion thrips populations with white sticky traps within onion rows and by washing thrips off onion leaves in soapy water.

Photo by Diane Alston

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7

Trade Trends Exports of Fresh Onions, Shallots From the Netherlands

By Mark Wocial, Certified Global Business Professional, Wocial & Associates LLC

T

he Netherlands is the largest exporter of fresh onions and shallots in the world. In the period 2012-2016, the country consistently accounted for about 20 percent of global exports. In 2016, Dutch exporters shipped 1,607 metric tons (MT) of fresh onions around the world, valued at $619 million.

In 2016, the U.K. was the largest export market with a volume of 184,000 MT, valued at $81 million. Senegal was the second largest export market. Dutch exporters shipped about 173,000 MT to that country, valued at $52 million.

Although Germany was third in terms of volume (159,000 MT), it was the most valuable export market at $82 million. The remaining top-10 export markets included Belgium, Côte d'Ivoire, Poland, Brazil, Malaysia, France and Guinea.

In terms of regional destinations, Europe and Africa are the largest markets for Dutch exporters. In 2016, the Netherlands exported 850,000 MT to other European countries, which accounted for about 53 percent of all Dutch exports. Africa accounted for 28 percent of Dutch onion

exports, at a volume of 457,000 MT. Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire and Guinea were the largest markets in Africa, followed by Mauritania, Sierra Leone, Gambia and Mali. In the period 2012-2016, Dutch

exports accounted for about 44 percent of all European imports and 66 percent of African imports.

In 2016, exporters in the Netherlands shipped 114,000 MT of fresh onions to Asia, which represented about 7 percent

Exports of fresh onions and shallots from the Netherlands MT x 1,000 1,417

492

2012

8

1,637

1,573

MT x thousand 1,607

184 81

674

2013

611

2014

Onion World • May/June 2018

552

2015

Author’s note: This information is based on the author’s analysis of the United Nations International Trade Statistics Database. The U.N. Statistics Division gathers import and export statistics from 160 reporting countries which account for almost all trade worldwide.

Exports of fresh onions and shallots from the Netherlands in 2016

USD x million

1,604

of all Dutch onion exports. In addition to Malaysia, other important markets in Asia included Indonesia and the Philippines.

These three countries accounted for over 90 percent of shipments to the region.

In 2016, exports to South America were estimated at 78,000 MT, or 5 percent of all Dutch fresh onion exports. Brazil was by far the largest country market, accounting for 87 percent of Dutch onion shipments to the region. Central America (44,000 MT) and the Caribbean (36,000 MT) each accounted for 2 to 3 percent of exports from the Netherlands. The largest country markets included Panama, Nicaragua, Honduras, Haiti, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago. The Middle East (16,000 MT) and North America (8,400 MT) accounted for less than 2 percent of Dutch exports.

619

2016

173 52

USD x million

159 82

116 51

69 15

69

68 66 57 55 25 23 19 17 17

Awards Celebration

Caps off

Vidalia Season

O

n the heels of a successful season, the Vidalia Onion Committee (VOC) honored two familiar faces in the Georgia onion industry. Omar Cruz, an agronomist for Bland Farms, was named the 2018 Grower of the Year, and longtime onion grower R.T. Stanley was inducted into the Vidalia Onion Hall of Fame.

The two received their awards during the Vidalia Onion Committee 2018 awards banquet. More than 200 guests attended the annual event, which followed a strong production year in 2017.

“Our congratulations to Omar and R.T. on being selected to receive our industry’s top honors,” said Bob Stafford, interim executive director of the Vidalia Onion Committee. “We enjoyed one of our strongest seasons in 2017, and we are looking forward to a good harvest this year.”

From left, Troy Bland, chairman of the Vidalia Onion Committee, and Bob Stafford, Vidalia Onion Committee manager, present an award to R.T. Stanley, the newest inductee in the Vidalia Onion Hall of Fame. Photo courtesy Vidalia Onion Committee

Omar Cruz (left) accepts the Vidalia Onion Committee Grower of the Year award from Troy Bland, Vidalia Onion Committee chairman, and Bob Stafford, Vidalia Onion Committee manager.

Photo courtesy Vidalia Onion Committee

Grower of the Year

Cruz, who earned a degree in agronomy from the University of Havana in Cuba, has been farming with Bland Farms in Tattnall County since 2005. He shares his vast knowledge with various Vidalia onion growers in the surrounding counties and has hosted numerous onion trials that have yielded valuable information to benefit the Vidalia industry, according to the VOC.

Hall of Fame

R.T. Stanley started farming in 1964 as a sharecropper with his uncle. A decade later, he established Stanley Farms with his father. In the late 1970s, Stanley Farms began growing Vidalia onions on its first five acres. This small acreage later grew to more than 1,000 acres.

One of the industry’s most influential growers, according to the VOC, Stanley has hosted many onion events over the years, including a gathering of the National Onion Association.

He considers himself fortunate that all three of his sons, Brian, Tracy and Vince, returned to Toombs County to be part of Stanley Farms after graduating from the University of Georgia.

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9

Utah Onion Association Experts Update Utah Growers

Story by Mike Pace, Utah State University Extension Agent Photos by Dave Alexander, Publisher

F

rom the Food Safety Modernization Act to drip irrigation, and from controlling spray drift in onion production to Iris yellow spot virus research, a wide range of topics were covered at the 2018 Utah Onion Association winter meeting held Feb. 13 in Brigham City, Utah. In addition to hearing the latest updates on all these issues, attendees had a chance to inspect the 2017 onion variety trial results.

FSMA

Dr. Karin Allen, Utah State University (USU) Extension food quality specialist, shared the latest details of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) produce safety rules. Allen explained that the produce safety rule encompasses agricultural water quality, biological soil amendments, domesticated and wild animals, worker training and health/hygiene, equipment, tools and building- and sprout-specific regulations.

USU Extension and Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) are working together to provide outreach, training and resources. UDAF is currently working on a produce safety website, while USU Extension is putting together food safety resources and helping to conduct trainings for various producers groups in Utah.

“Since food safety is critical to American agriculture and farmers are the first point in helping to maintain a safe food supply, the partnership between UDAF and USU will help Utah farms achieve the national food safety goals,” Allen said.

Trevor Smith with Clearwater Supply (center) shares tips on starting a drip irrigation system.

PSA grower trainings were held in March or April to help producers understand the produce safety rule as farm inspections are set to begin during the 2019 growing season.

Purchasing Requirements for Local Produce Leigh Vaughn, senior produce category manager with Associated Food Stores (AFS), reported that AFS is committed to source as much viable local product as possible. He shared

Attendees network and compare notes at the Utah Onion Association winter meeting.

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Onion World • May/June 2018

Bejo showcases its Crockett variety, which was included in the Utah State University Variety Trials.

a 2017 Food Marketing Institute report that showed consumers placed “locally grown products” higher on the scale than “freshness” when shopping for produce for their family. Vaughn emphasized that the stores are committed to helping local growers remain profitable.

At the same time, Vaughn explained, AFS now requires all suppliers, regardless of dollar sales, to be food-safe certified.

As of yet, AFS has not designated which GAP certification program (Global GAP or Harmonized GAP) food suppliers will have to use if they want to sell produce to Associated Food Stores.

“Gone are the days of pickups and cash payments from the retailer,” he said.

“The Food Safety Modernization Act has increased the amount of regulation and paperwork necessary to conduct business in the retail marketplace.”

Controlling Drift in Onion Fields

Dr. Corey Ransom, USU Extension weed specialist, presented information about adjuvants and additives that can be used to help pesticides more effectively control weeds and control drift in onion fields.

“Reading and following the pesticide label is more important than ever with some of the new insecticides and herbicides you are going to be using.

These new labels specify the type and size of nozzle you have to use and the Manufacturers of innovative flexible packaging solutions that streamline operations and extend onion shelf-life.

Sakata shows off its Dulce Reina variety.

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11

Utah Onion Association Winter Meeting

Karin Allen, Utah State University Extension food quality and entrepreneurship specialist, explains the many intricacies of the Food Safety Modernization Act.

Leigh Vaughn, senior produce category manager with Associated Food Stores, tells his audience that locally-sourced produce is very important to consumers.

spray pressure range in order to prevent spray drift and pesticide movement from offsite,� Ransom explained to his audience.

Ransom showed several videos with different nozzles under various pressures to illustrate his point of what happens to products when they are incorrectly applied and the potential for drift. He reminded the group that the label is the law when spraying pesticides and that labels are constantly changing so it is important to review them prior to each application.

Tyson Roberts currently serves as the president of the Utah Onion Association.

Claudia Nischwitz, Utah State University Extension plant pathologist, brings attendees up to speed on her Iris yellow spot virus and bulb mites research.

2017 Utah Onion Variety Trial

Mike Pace, USU Extension agent for Box Elder County, reported that the USU Onion Variety Trials were planted in Box Elder County on a drip-irrigated field and in Weber County on a furrow-irrigated field. Thirty-four varieties were planted in the trials on March 17, 2017.

Soon after planting, bulb mites severely reduced plant population stands at the drip irrigation location in Box Elder County. The research team did not replant or treat the plots at this site but left them to see what would happen to the onions throughout the growing season.

Average plant stand counts were significantly lower in the dripirrigated field (13.1 plants/3 feet) compared to the furrow-irrigated field (29.4 plants/3 feet). Eleven onion varieties had higher yields than the grower variety (798 bags at 50 pounds each) in the furrow-irrigated field in Weber County, with the highest yielding variety averaging 1,029 marketable bags (50 pounds). Five of the onion varieties had higher onion yields than the grower variety (1,976 bags) on drip irrigation in Box Elder County, with the highest one producing 2,191 bags of marketable onions.

Crookham Company’s Morpheus cultivar is on display at the meeting.

The variety was part of the Utah State University Variety Trials.

12

Onion World • May/June 2018

New Products

Company Prescribes Mud Rx for Planter Wheels

Two farmers from North Dakota utilized their engineering backgrounds to develop a product to eliminate mudplugged planter and air seeder wheels in wet conditions and to prevent tire wear in abrasive soils.

Mud Rx is a plastic product that fits snugly between a gauge wheel and disc. This keeps the disc clean and prevents mud buildup and wheel plugging in damp or muddy conditions. In dry, abrasive soil conditions, the product is designed to keep small particles, rocks and debris from wearing down the tire edges close to the disc. The developers estimate Mud Rx extends tire life by three to five times.

Mud Rx fits nearly all planters with gauge wheels and most aftermarket wheels and tires.

Visit www.mudrx.com.

Solutions 4Earth Expands Fertilizer Line

Solutions 4Earth has added two new liquid organic products under the Infinite brand. Infinite Push 3-2-1 and Infinite Core 2-2-2 are both labeled for a wide range of crops including onions.

Infinite fertilizers are said to contain nutrients necessary for strong plant growth.

According to the company, the liquid-based formulation provides relatively quick plant response, which helps growers “spoonfeed� the crop. The products are designed to add carbon to the soil, resulting in enhanced microbial growth and improved soil health.

Infinite fertilizers can be applied to soil, as a foliar spray or injected through drip irrigation systems.

Visit www.solutions4earth.com.

Lindsay Upgrades FieldNET App

Lindsay Corporation has launched a new version of its FieldNET mobile app. The enhancements are designed to improve access, visibility and control of center pivots and lateral irrigation systems.

Key features and new, real-time functionalities now available include the ability to enable and disable autorestart and auto-reverse, as well as the ability to shut down multiple pivots simultaneously. Upgrades also include new search tools for equipment and groups, display of time remaining for current circle or until the next stop, and streamlined status alerts delivered via push notification.

Lindsay plans to integrate variable rate irrigation into the FieldNET app later this year.

Visit www.myfieldnet.com.

Herbicide to Help in Onion Seed Crops

Helm Agro US, Inc. has a new herbicide on the market. Quiz is a selective post-emergence herbicide registered for control of annual and perennial grasses in crops including onion grown specifically for seed production. Applied at specified rates and timings, Quiz will control emerged grasses. However, subsequent flushes of grasses require additional treatment as the product does not offer residual activity.

With the active ingredient quizalofop-P-ethyl, the herbicide has flexible rate ranges, versatile tank mix options and a wide application window, according to the company.

Visit helmagro.com.

OnionWorld.net

13

In the News

Lender Predicts Profits in Onions

The 12-month outlook calls for “slightly profitable grower returns,” according to Northwest Farm Credit Services’ quarterly Market Snapshot report published in early April.

“Onions shipped from Mexico and California are impacting current prices, which started high at the beginning of 2018 and softened somewhat by March 1,” the report states. “Still, the reduced prices remain well above those at this time last year, partly due to lower onion inventories.”

In addition to spring market conditions, the report took into account storage onion quality, as well as the region’s mild winter and ample water supply.

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Double M Expands

Double M Ag and Irrigation opened a new store in Blackfoot, Idaho, on Feb. 1, adding to its stores in American Falls and Aberdeen.

Double M ships equipment, irrigation and sprayer parts throughout the United States and Canada. The company carries a line of new and used equipment and bills itself as a one-stop shop from planting through harvest.

Visit www.doublemsupply.com.

Calendar June 25-27

United Fresh 2018

McCormick Place Convention Center Chicago, Ill. www.unitedfresh.org

July 11

Malheur Experiment Station Summer Farm Festival 595 Onion Ave., Ontario, Ore. Janet Jones, (541) 889-2174 or janet.jones@oregonstate.edu

July 18-21

National Onion Association Summer Convention Bakersfield Marriott at the Convention Center Bakersfield, Calif. www.onions-usa.org

July 21

Walla Walla Sweet Onion Festival Walla Walla, Wash. www.sweetonions.org/festival

Aug. 30

WSU Onion Field Day

Hartley Farms, Prosser, Wash.

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Onion World • May/June 2018

Oct. 18-20

PMA Fresh Summit Convention and Expo Orlando, Fla. www.freshsummit.com

Editor’s note: To have your event listed, please email: Denise Keller editor@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com

RPE Markets Agri-Pack Onions

RPE is now the exclusive marketer of Agri-Pack’s onion and potato crops.

RPE is a year-round grower-shipper of onions and potatoes based in Bancroft, Wisconsin.

Agri-Pack, a Pasco, Washingtonbased grower-packer-distributor of onions and potatoes, was acquired by CSS Farms, a multi-state grower of onions and chip and specialty potatoes, last year. CSS Farms and RPE have worked together since 2010 as joint venture partners in Tasteful Selections, a line of products in the bite-size potatoes category.

RPE managers expect Agri-Pack to be the cornerstone of an expanding onion program supplying food service companies, restaurants, retailers and others servicing and selling directly to consumers.

Jet Harvest Solutions Grows Sales Team in Northeast

Jet Harvest Solutions has hired Jim Peterson as its newest sales representative. Based in Maine, Peterson will primarily handle sales in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, New England and eastern Canada. He brings 35 years of experience in the greenhouse industry and chemical sales to organic and conventional growers. He has a degree in ag business.

Jet Harvest Solutions is a Florida-based provider of agricultural chemistries and biological products.

Fox Packaging Opens New Facility

Fox Packaging opened a new printing facility in McAllen, Texas, in March.

With the new 32,000-square-foot facility’s increased space and state-of-the-art printing and conversion equipment, the company expects to increase production with shorter lead times.

“We wanted a space that would allow us to keep up with demand without sacrificing the elevated customer service our partners have come to know and trust,” said Keith Fox, president of Fox Packaging.

Fox Packaging develops and distributes flexible packaging options for fresh produce packers and shippers throughout North America and Latin America.

OnionWorld.net

15

SHORT- & INTERMEDIATE-DAY VARIETIES

AMERICAN TAKII SHORT- AND INTERMEDIATE-DAY VARIETIES Rio Dulce

Hi-Keeper

Superex

T-448

301 Natividad Road Salinas, CA 93906 Phone: (831) 443-4901 www.takii.com info@takii.com

Rio Dulce

Rio Dulce is a mid-early, short-day onion with mild flavor. It has strong roots, a high tolerance to pink root and good single centers.

Bulbs are firm and have a flattened-globe shape.

Superex

Superex is an early, short-day onion suited for tropic and subtropic climates. Jumbo-sized bulbs are firm, flattened-globe in shape with brown-yellow skin. Lab analysis puts Superex within the Vidalia Superior Onion Flavors standards. The variety is best for the fresh market.

Hi-Keeper

Hi-Keeper is an intermediate, overwintering-type jumbo onion with medium maturity. It has a globe shape and averages 11 ounces (320 grams). Growing vigorously with good long-term storage ability, Hi-Keeper is best suited for storage markets.

T-448

T-448 is an intermediate, overwintering-type onion with good sizing – mostly colossal (3.5 to 4 inches in diameter) – and firm bulbs. It expresses refined, uniform globe-shaped bulbs with strong root systems and good bolting tolerance. The skin quality of T-448 is excellent, and small necks allow for good curing. It is well suited for fresh and process markets in the Pacific Northwest Columbia Basin.

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Onion World • May/June 2018

Macon

Alison Red Hunter F1

Pirate F1 Red Duke F1 1972 Silver Spur Place Oceano, CA 93445 Phone: (805) 473-2199 www.bejoseeds.com info@bejoseeds.com

Alison

Alison is a late-maturing short-day onion with light skin and bolting resistance. The variety is very uniform and works well in New Mexico.

Pirate F1

Pirate, a main-season short-day sweet Granex type developed for the Vidalia market, boasts a high percentage of jumbos with good pink root resistance.

Coming in the next issue of

ONION WORLD

SHORT- & INTERMEDIATE-DAY VARIETIES

BEJO SHORT- AND INTERMEDIATE-DAY VARIETIES

Macon

Macon is a new short-day onion introduced by Bejo for the lateseason maturity slot. The variety is high yielding with a deeper Granex shape, excellent uniformity, strong tops, and sweet and mild flavor. It performs well in the Vidalia area.

Red Hunter F1

Red Hunter is a short-day red onion with good bulb size and low pungency. Its deep red color extends to the center rings.

The variety is well adapted to the southern U.S. and overwinter production.

Red Duke F1

Red Duke is a new variety for the Southeast! It is a late- to mainseason short-day variety. The onion is a flat Granex type with deep red skins and crisp red color throughout the interior and very low pungency.

Harvest Essentials

OnionWorld.net

17

SHORT- & INTERMEDIATE-DAY VARIETIES

CROOKHAM SHORT- AND INTERMEDIATE-DAY VARIETIES Somerset

Salute Red Rock

Vanguard P.O. Box 520 Caldwell, ID 83606-0520 Phone: (208) 459-7451 www.crookham.com ccoinfo@crookham.com

Somerset

Salute

With a 160-day maturity, Somerset is a main- to late-season variety that has a nice, deep copper skin and a globe-shaped bulb.

The bulb shape is appealing to the eye, but also provides the grower with improved yields. Disease ratings: High tolerance to pink root, Fusarium and bolting.

With a 100-day maturity, Salute is a great early- to main-season intermediate variety that displays a nice golden-brown scale and cuts a high percentage of single centers. This intermediate Spanish onion is a consistent yielder and a uniform producer of jumbo and colossal bulbs. Disease ratings: High tolerance to pink root, Fusarium and bolting.

Vanguard

Red Rock

Vanguard is a productive main-season intermediate yellow variety.

Vanguard produces jumbo to colossal size, bronze-colored, uniform bulbs that make it an option for processing or for the fresh market. It has a high tolerance to pink root, Fusarium and bolting.

Red Rock demonstrates good size with excellent internal dark red color. It also has a good single center percentage, as well as good tolerance to pink root and Fusarium and high tolerance to bolting.

The variety also has a very good red scale and produces a nice firm bulb that can be stored for several months.

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Onion World • May/June 2018

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Cherry Mountain F1

Sapelo Sweet F1

Rio Rojo F1

Diamond Swan F1 Pumba F1

DP Sweet F1 8269 E. US Highway 95 Yuma, AZ 85365 Phone: (928) 341-8494 www.dpseeds.com info@dpseeds.com

Cherry Mountain F1

Cherry Mountain F1 is a large, brilliant colored, dark red Grano onion with excellent storage capabilities. This variety produces round bulbs that are uniform in shape with a refined neck. The variety is highly single centered and ideal for the fresh market.

Plant in early spring.

Diamond Swan F1

Diamond Swan F1 is an early variety with good storage capabilities. This variety features a round, very white bulb with a refined neck and is highly single centered.

DP Sweet F1

DP Sweet F1 features a round shape with a small neck and firm bulb weighing 250-300 grams. It is a very early variety with good flavor and is resistant to downy mildew and bolting.

SHORT- & INTERMEDIATE-DAY VARIETIES

DP SEEDS SHORT- AND INTERMEDIATE-DAY VARIETIES

Sapelo Sweet F1

Sapelo Sweet F1 is a hybrid, short-day onion of mid-maturity.

This onion seed variety produces bulbs of 2-to-1 ratio with a high percentage of jumbo size, making it one of DP Seeds’ highest yielding onions. Tops are dark green with seven to eight leaves, and with two skins, Sapelo Sweet F1 is good for CA storage. The variety has moderate tolerance to pink root.

Rio Rojo F1

Rio Rojo F1 is jumbo-sized with a flattened-globe shape. The variety features mid-early maturity and stores well. It is suitable for direct sowing and transplanting. It has good bolting tolerance and strong field adaptation under various climates and soil conditions and is strong against drought.

Pumba F1

Pumba F1 is a hybrid, short-day yellow Grano-type onion that produces high yields with an excellent shelf life. With uniform shape and good sunburn protection, Pumba F1 is normally a mid-late maturity that produces large size onions. It has medium tolerance to pink root.

OnionWorld.net

19

SHORT- & INTERMEDIATE-DAY VARIETIES

ENZA ZADEN SHORT- AND INTERMEDIATE-DAY VARIETIES Madalyn

Cabernet

Buenavista

Monastrell

Francesca

Zoey

Francesca Javier Russek, Product Specialist, Onions Phone: (831) 240-5736 www.enzazaden.us j.russek@enzazaden.com

Madalyn

Madalyn is an early- to mid-season short-day yellow onion with excellent bolting tolerance for fresh market production. Bulbs are globe-shaped with bronze-colored skin, single-centered and 2.4 to 4.3 inches (60-110 mm). Madalyn is quick to mature and produces high yields of large bulbs.

Buenavista

Buenavista is a late-intermediate yellow, globe-shaped onion that produces bulbs of 2.4-3.5 inches (60-90 mm) with dark bronzecolored skin and high single centers.

20

Onion World • May/June 2018

Francesca is a mid-to-late short-day yellow onion with tolerance to pink root rot and strong tops. Exceptional bulb firmness makes this variety well suited for mechanical harvest. Bulbs are approximately 3 inches (76 mm), globe shaped and uniform.

Cabernet

A fresh market or export variety boasting high quality, Cabernet produces single-centered bulbs with excellent internal ring color.

Cabernet has partial resistance to foliar diseases and produces uniform globe-shaped bulbs of outstanding holding ability and four- to six-month storability.

Monastrell

Recommended for fresh market, Monastrell bulbs average 3.5 to 4 inches (89-102 mm) in size. Bulbs are round, single-centered, and dark red in color with excellent internal ring color. Plants are upright and strong against disease and will store for three to five months.

Zoey

Zoey performs well in a variety of mid-intermediate growing locations throughout North America. The high quality bulbs have a nice round shape, strong centers and good firmness.

Miss Scarlett

Red Sea

Miss Scarlett

This red short-day hybrid is productive and matures early. The internal coloration will start early, making Miss Scarlett very suitable for the early-main red onion market. Vigorous, erect green tops will contribute to an excellent production.

6601 Lyons Rd., Ste. H-10 Coconut Creek, FL 33073 Phone: (954) 429-9445 www.hazera.com

Kerian

SPEED SIZER

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Red Sea

A very attractive and productive intermediate-day red hybrid, Red Sea is a flexible variety and delivers a beautiful dark red color.

Also internally, Red Sea has an early, deep red coloration. This hybrid will produce firm, flattened globe-shaped bulbs with a trim neck.

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OnionWorld.net

21

SHORT- & INTERMEDIATE-DAY VARIETIES

SAKATA SHORT- AND INTERMEDIATE-DAY VARIETIES

Spanish Medallion

Great Western

Great Western

Great Western is a grower-friendly, main-season yellow intermediate onion with good pink root tolerance. It can be grown in all intermediate growing areas including the Pacific Northwest and Colorado. Great Western has good firmness with good skin retention. It will cut a high percentage of single centers and can be direct seeded or transplanted. This good-yielding variety has strong plant growth with sizes that range from colossal to jumbo.

18095 Serene Drive Morgan Hill, CA 95037 Phone: (408) 778-7758 www.sakatavegetables.com sales@sakata.com

Spanish Medallion

Spanish Medallion is a late intermediate yellow that transitions into the long-day Spanish types. It has firmness, consistent yields and excellent skin retention. This variety has a globe shape with sizes that range from colossal to jumbo. It cuts a high percentage of single centers. In the Pacific Northwest and Colorado, it is a true intermediate. In California and New Mexico, it is a good transitional variety.

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Onion World • May/June 2018

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23

SYSSTEM SeaCal ®

More value in one jug! Can your calcium do all this?

Right Nutrient, Right Form, Right Time, Right Mix Sysstem® SeaCal provides more value to onion growers in one jug than any other competing foliar calcium on the market.

No other foliar calcium on the market gives growers a better way to supply the right nutrient at the right time, in the right form and in the right mix, in combination with Agro-K’s superior seaweed spray and a 40 year track record of success.

For more information contact Agro-K or an authorized dealer today.

• Fastest Penetration and Uptake - the low pH calcium phosphite solution is rapidly absorbed by waxy onion leaf surfaces making it the best choice to systemically deliver calcium faster and more completely than other foliar formulations. Low pH formulations have significant advantages over neutral pH phosphite products – aiding in the uptake of other larger crop protection molecules. In addition, low pH solutions improve compatibility and stability of most tank mixes without the need of an acidifying agent.

• Root Flush Technology™ - Sysstem® SeaCal works to increase root mass and foraging capacity by enhancing the natural root exudate process that plants create to free-up and extract soil-bound nutrients.

Increasing the natural “root flushing” activity allows the plant to extract more nutrients and moisture from the soil while also increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of soil applied fertility programs.

• Seaweed Technology – Agro-K’s 40 plus year history and experience working with seaweed formulations is built into Sysstem® SeaCal. Agro-K utilizes a specific blend of seaweed sources to maximize all levels of the unique compounds found in various seaweed varieties that have been demonstrated to improve cell division as well as helping to alleviate both physiological and climatic stress. The formulation of Sysstem® SeaCal uses a proprietary reaction process to enhance and stabilize these key plant growth promoting compounds ensuring consistent performance from this value-added foliar product. Applied in combination Sysstem® SeaCal helps improve cell division during the early stages of bulb development and overall plant health leading to improved quality, increased packout and higher grower returns.

Sysstem® SeaCal is designed to support calcium needs in all crops but is particularly effective on onions. Meeting peak demand timing for calcium aids in maximizing bulb quality. Once bulb formation begins, the cell division window begins and calcium demand increases significantly for the next 3-4 weeks as onion cells divide.

Sysstem® SeaCal’s low pH calcium phosphite solution is designed to penetrate quickly and more completely resulting in higher bulb calcium levels and higher quality onions.

Sysstem® SeaCal effectively drives calcium into the leaves improving cell wall thickness. Thicker stronger cell walls are more tolerant to disease and improves overall plant health aiding higher yields and quality.

Science Driven Nutrition © 2018 Agro-K Corporation.

Sysstem is a trademark of Agro-K Corporation.