Onion World May/June 2023

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ONION WORLD

MAY/JUNE 2023

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Onion World PO Box 333 Roberts, ID 83444

Onion World magazine (ISSN 0892-578X), is published eight times a year and mailed under a standard rate mailing permit at Idaho Falls, Idaho and at additional mailing offices.

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301 Natividad Rd. Salinas, CA 93906

Phone: (831) 443-4901

www.takii.com

info@takii.com

Hi-Keeper

Hi-Keeper is an intermediate, overwintering type jumbo onion with medium maturity. It has a globe shape and is jumbo sized, averaging 11 ounces. 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 it has small necks, allowing for good curing. It is well suited for fresh and process markets in the Pacific Northwest’s Columbia Basin.

Rio Dulce

Rio Dulce is a mid-early short-day onion with low pungency. It has strong roots, a high tolerance to pink root and good single centers. Bulbs are firm, have a globe shape with good skin retention and are mostly jumbo and colossal.

Hi-Keeper

Tough Ball

Tough Ball is an intermediate, overwintering hybrid yellow onion with medium-early maturity. Bulbs are firm with medium-hard skin and a globe shape. The variety is suitable for storage and fresh market.

Superex

Superex is an early short-day onion suited for tropic and sub-tropic climates. Jumbo-sized bulbs are firm, flattenedglobe 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.

Superex

Tough Ball

Rio Dulce

T-448

Carta Blanca

Carta Blanca is a main-season short-day white onion at 170-175 days maturity. This variety produces a round Grano-shaped bulb. Carta Blanca has good bolting tolerance and a high percentage of singe centers.

Dulciana

Dulciana is an early short-day yellow onion at a 150-160 day maturity. Round Grano-shape bulbs have a very mild flavor profile. The variety has very good bolting tolerance and high pink root resistance. It is a strong yielder for the early mild yellow segment.

Mata Hari

Mata Hari is a main-season short-day red onion at 170-175 days maturity. This variety produces rounded globe-shaped bulbs with a dark red external color. Mata Hari has good bolting tolerance and a medium percentage of single centers.

1200 Anderson Corner Rd.

Parma, ID 83660

Phone: (800) 733-9505

www.nunhemsusa.com

Plethora

Plethora is a flat short-day yellow onion at 180 days maturity. This variety produces a round Granex-shaped bulb with a sweet flavor profile and golden straw color. Plethora has good bolting tolerance and a high percentage of single centers.

Rasta

Rasta is a main-season short-day red onion at 175-180 days maturity. This variety produces rounded globe-shaped bulbs with a dark red exterior. Rasta has good bolting tolerance and a medium percentage of single centers.

Sofire

Sofire is an early short-day red onion. It is the earliest red in the market at a 145155 day maturity. The variety produces rounded Grano-shaped bulbs that are uniform in shape with good internal and external color. It has excellent bolting tolerance and high pink root resistance with its strong, vigorous root system as well as strong, healthy tops.

Vidora

Vidora is a flat short-day yellow onion at 150 days maturity. This variety produces a rounded Granex-shaped bulb with a sweet flavor profile and golden straw color. Vidora has excellent bolting tolerance and a high percentage of single centers.

Carta Blanca

Mata Hari

Sofire

Rasta

Vidora

Plethora Dulciana

Bejo 369

Bejo 369 is an early main-season maturing yellow Granex variety with healthy, strong, upright tops. The variety features a petite neck size for rapid field curing. Bulbs have excellent firmness, attractive appearance and great flavor.

Alison

Alison is a later maturing short-day Granex variety with upright tops and a deeper, high-yielding Granex shape. The variety has bolting resistance, is very uniform and works well for the laterseason slot in Vidalia.

1972 Silver Spur Place

Oceano, CA 93445

Phone: (805) 473-2199 www.bejoseeds.com

Macon

Macon is a short-day yellow Granex onion introduced for the late-season maturity slot. The variety is high yielding with a deep Granex shape, excellent uniformity, strong tops, and sweet and mild flavor.

Maragogi

This early main-season short-day yellow onion features attractive, lighter colored skin and a flat-round to globe shape. The variety has healthy and disease-resistant tops. Bulbs are uniform and produce a high percentage of single centers.

Red Marvel

Red Marvel is a new red short-day Grano onion with a nice globe shape, deep, attractive red color, healthy tops, strong roots and excellent yield potential.

Tania

Tania is a short-day yellow Granex introduction with strong, upright tops with great plant habit. It is high yielding with a deeper Granex shape, strong root system, firm bulbs, and pink root and bolting resistance.

Bejo 369

Red Marvel

Maragogi

Alison

Tania

Macon

SHORT- AND INTERMEDIATE-DAY VARIETY GUIDE

P.O. Box 520

Caldwell, ID 83605

Phone: (208) 459-7451, ccoinfo@crookham.com

www.crookham.com

Intermediate- and Short-day:

Rob Gobleck

Phone: (575) 644-5712 robg@crookham.com

Long- and Intermediate-day for U.S. and International:

Lyndon Johnson

Phone: (208) 369-3390 lyndonj@crookham.com

Salute

Crown Crown is a dependable full-season onion that cuts a high percentage of single centers. It has a high tolerance to pink root, Fusarium and bolting. Bulb sizes range from jumbo to colossal. These characteristics make Crown a great choice for a producer-friendly variety.

Red Rock

Red Rock is a sturdy and reliable mainseason red onion that has a beautiful external and internal color. The finished bulbs are firm with a great outer scale. This enables growers to store this onion. Red Rock has strong, vigorous tops and a hearty root system.

Salute

Salute is a great early-to-main-season intermediate-day onion that has a golden brown scale and rates well with single centers. It has a consistent and uniform yield that produces bulbs in the jumbo to colossal class. Salute has a strong plant structure that gives tremendous vigor.

Somerset

Somerset is a main-to-late-season variety that has a nice deep copper scale. It yields jumbo to colossal globe-shaped bulbs that look amazing on the retail shelf. Somerset comes complete with a strong disease package for ease in production.

Valentine

Valentine is a red onion for fresh consumption. It has a rich red color and clearly marked rings with a high percentage of single centers. It is grower friendly with a good disease package and produces consistently firm bulbs.

Vanguard

Vanguard is a main-season intermediate yellow onion. It produces jumbo to colossal bulbs that are very uniform and have a bronze-colored finished scale.

Crown

Valentine

Somerset

Red Rock

Vanguard

8269 E. US Hwy. 95

Yuma, AZ 85365

Phone: (928) 341-8494

www.dpseeds.com

info@dpseeds.com

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.

Georgia Boy F1

Georgia Boy F1 is a hybrid short-day yellow onion. With its very mild, sweet flavor, Georgia Boy F1 is ideal for the production of sweet onions. This seed variety has been a high producer in University of Georgia trials. It has medium tolerance to pink root.

Sapelo

Sweet F1

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

NEW

Bonarda (E61D.10441)

Bonarda is a main-season intermediate-day onion with improved bulb qualities. It produces firm, uniform, globe-shaped bulbs with multiple, tough, deep red skins and good scale retention. Bonarda can also provide growers with an earlier maturing option in northern long-day areas with moderate storage potential.

NEW Zinfandel

Zinfandel is a mid- to late-maturing short-day onion. With a strong root system, globe-shaped bulbs, and an intense internal and external red color, Zinfandel provides growers a solid, high-yielding option in its maturity class.

Rene Emch

Sr. Product Specialist, Onions

Phone: (657) 276-1021

r.emch@enzazaden.com

Bonarda (E61D.10441)

DP Sweet F1

Sapelo Sweet F1

Georgia Boy F1

Zinfandel

DP Sweet (1407)

DP Sweet (1407) from DP Seeds is an extra early-maturing hybrid yellow onion for southeast markets. A dependable first early sweet onion on the market, DP Sweet’s blue-green tops are resilient against foliar diseases. This slow bolting variety has a deep Granex shape and holds extremely well in the field for optimum post-harvest quality. The variety has resistance to downy mildew.

Nyala

Nyala from Starke Ayres is a new hybrid yellow onion in the late short-day maturity class. Tops are vigorous and upright with

P.O. Box 190

Chualar, CA 93925

Phone: (831) 679-1900

www.gowanseed.com

info@gowanseed.com

strong field tolerance to leaf diseases. The variety is widely adapted to all U.S. shortday district climates and latitudes. Bulbs are globe shaped with bronze skin, very firm, highly single-centered, and jumbo to colossal in size. The variety has strong pink root tolerance.

Red Sapphire

Red Sapphire from Sakata is a vibrant hybrid red onion with strong plant growth and a sturdy root system. This globeshaped variety has deep cherry-red skin and ranges in size from jumbo to large. A very late short-day transition to early intermediate-day onion, Red Sapphire has good pink root tolerance.

Siskiyou

Siskiyou from Seminis is a new late short-day transition hybrid yellow onion. The variety is highly single-centered with great skin and firmness and a very uniform globe shape, along with great size and quality.

Veronica

Veronica from Starke Ayers is a short-day hybrid yellow onion variety with excellent color, quality and uniformity. Featuring medium- to large-sized globe-shaped bulbs, this high-yielding variety has good general foliage disease resistance and pink root resistance.

Nyala

DP Sweet (1407)

Red Sapphire

Siskiyou

Veronica

Phone:

www.hazera.us.com

Toro

Alba Blanca

Alba Blanca provides growers a high quality, early maturing white onion with vigorous top development, healthy, strong roots and reliable bulb characteristics. Alba Blanca delivers an opportunity for growers to be first to market and reduce water usage during production. It is well adapted to the white onion markets of Mexico, southern Texas, New Mexico and California.

Hellcat

Hellcat is a first-to-market, short-day yellow onion with great scale, quality and color. Its superior bulb uniformity and excellent size profile deliver customers with highly attractive medium- to jumbosized bulbs. Flexibility across planting dates and rapid speed to maturity offer a reliable product that is suitable for mechanical harvest.

Hornet

Hornet

Hornet is an early maturing yellow variety with wide adaptability for the Rio Grande and Imperial Valley regions. This variety provides exceptional bulb uniformity and shape, as well as flexibility within multiple planting windows. Hornet has shown to be a very high yielding hybrid in trials and has low pungency, which makes it a flavorful, mild tasting onion.

Red Halen

Red Halen provides growers with a high quality, mid-maturing red short-day onion. Red Halen has vigorous and strong tops that protect the bulb from bleaching. With superior external quality and a fast speed to internal red, Red Halen provides growers with consistent and reliable bulbs. With flexibility during planting and harvest, Red Halen is well adapted to the red onion markets of Mexico and the Western U.S.

Central Valley: David Scheidt

Phone: (559) 367-7080

david.scheidt@bayer.com

Pacific Northwest: Richard Navarrete

Phone: (208) 317-6451

richard.navarrete@bayer.com

Texas: Lee Schill Phone: (956)-227-3442

lee.schill@bayer.com

CALENDAR

June 14-17

National Onion Association

Summer Convention

Amway Grand Plaza Hotel Grand Rapids, Mich. www.onions-usa.org

Aug. 8

Utah Onion Summer Field Tour Weber County, Utah

Dan Drost, dan.drost@usu.edu or (435) 770-4484

Aug. 29

Crookham Onion Reveal Wilder, Idaho

Lyndon Johnson, lyndonj@crookham.com or (208) 369-3390

Aug. 29

The Bayer Experience Featuring Onions, Specialty Crops and More Payette, Idaho

Richard Navarrete, richard.navarrete@bayer.com or (208) 317-6451

Aug. 30

Malheur Experiment Station Onion Variety Day 595 Onion Ave., Ontario, Ore.

Janet Jones, janet.jones@oregonstate.edu or (541) 889-2174

Aug. 31

WSU Onion Field Day Warden, Wash.

Tim Waters, twaters@wsu.edu or (509) 545-3511

Alba Blanca

Red Halen

Hellcat

NOA Summer Convention

The Amway Grand Hotel, Grand Rapids, MI June 14-17, 2023

GRAND RAPIDS HERE WE COME!

Known as “Beer City USA,” Grand Rapids is on the Grand River just east of Lake Michigan.

Check out the Fredrik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park with a tropical conservatory and multiple gardens to explore. The Sculpture Park also features art collections by Auguste Rodin, Henry Moore and Ai Weiwei.

The downtown Grand Rapids Art Musem spotlights Michigan artists in its rotating shows.

The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum gives visitors a chance to step inside the Oval Office, see the actual Watergate break in tools, and has Smithsonian-caliber changing exhibitions

MORE THINGS TO DO AT EXPERIENCEGR.COM

NOA Summer Convention Agenda*

Wednesday, June 14, 2023

4:00-5:30 p.m. Executive & Finance Committee Meeting

6:00-8:00 p.m. Opening Reception and registration

Thursday, June 15, 2023

7:30-9:00 a.m. Registration continued

7:30 a.m. Breakfast Buffet

9:00 a.m.-noon NOA Committee Meetings

10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

Spouse/Friend Event, lunch included Noon Lunch

1:30 p.m.

GENERAL SESSION & TRUSTEE MEETING

US Senate Agriculture Committee Farm Bill Discussion

Friday, June 16, 2023

7:00-8:45 a.m. Breakfast Buffet

9:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. Ag Tour and Lunch

6:00-7:00 p.m. Reception

7:00-9:00 p.m. Banquet Dinner featuring Recognitions and Live Auction

Saturday, June 17, 2023

8:00-9:15 a.m. NOA Crop Report breakfast

* Agenda subject to change. See updates at onions-usa.org/members/conventions.

To register: www.onions-usa.org/members/conventions

Never been to an NOA meeting but would like to attend?

You are invited! Call Courtney at 970-353-5895

Walla Walla Sweet Onions: Something to Celebrate

By Kim Brunson, Manager, Walla Walla Sweet Onion Marketing Committee

In the late 1800s, a French soldier named Pete Pieri brought the sweet onion seed from Corsica, Italy, to Walla Walla, Washington. The combination of Walla Walla’s climate and the low sulfur content in the soil contributes to the sweetness of the Walla Walla Sweet Onion. For over a century, and four generations of growers later, the Walla Walla Sweet Onion continues to grow in popularity.

The Walla Walla Sweet Onion is known for being extra sweet with a wonderful crunch. The mild flavor makes the onion a welcome addition to a salad or on a sandwich or burger. Some Walla Walla Sweet Onion fans enjoy eating the onion like an apple. The culinary options are endless for this versatile onion.

In July, when the harvest is in full swing, the town of Walla Walla celebrates Walla Walla Sweet Onion Month. Celebratory Walla Walla Sweet Onion banners are found throughout downtown Walla Walla. Local restaurants serve special dishes featuring the Walla Walla Sweet Onion and share the recipes on the Walla Walla Sweet Onion Facebook page.

The Season is Short but Sweet

In 1995, the Walla Walla Sweet Onion Marketing Committee (WWSOMC), better known as Federal Marketing Order 956, was established. The marketing order was put in place to protect the integrity of the heirloom onion that has never been hybridized, only hand selected, since 1905. While advancements in technology have improved farming practices, the Walla Walla Sweet Onion crop is still harvested by hand today.

The federal marketing order designates the onion as a unique variety and establishes a federally protected growing area. Only this heirloom onion grown in the designated area of southeast Washington and northeast Oregon can be marketed as a genuine Walla Walla Sweet Onion. The genuine Walla Walla Sweet

Onion logo ensures the integrity of the sweet onion.

In the years since the establishment of the marketing order, macroeconomic trends in agriculture have reduced the grower base from 50 producers to 18 producers. Today, the value of WWSOMC and the protection it provides is even

greater. As a fresh sweet onion with a short season, the committee leverages its assessment dollars to focus promotion within the region of its sales.

The short but sweet season runs from mid-June through mid-August. We look forward to the upcoming Walla Walla Sweet Onion season. Life should be this sweet.

Better Onion Packaging

and Handling

Improving Food Safety, Minimizing Recalls Studying Pre-Harvest Contamination Risks and Managing Cross-Contamination During Post-Harvest Storage

By Joy Waite-Cusic, Associate Professor of Food Safety Systems, Oregon State University

Jason Racine, Erik Ohman and Sasha Nerney, Graduate Research Associates, Oregon State University

The number of multistate foodborne illness outbreaks linked to the consumption of contaminated produce has increased over the last two decades. In 2020 and 2021, two of the largest Salmonella outbreaks in more than10 years (each with more than 1,000 confirmed cases) were linked to the consumption of red onions. Outbreak investigations have not yielded a clear cause but have identified routes of contamination during growing and field curing as well as cross-contamination risks during post-harvest storage and handling.

Joy Waite-Cusic’s Food Safety Systems Laboratory at Oregon State University has multiple research projects underway with

Exploring nature never stops

BEJO ONIONS - LAYERS OF EXCELLENCE

TANIA

New short day yellow granex introduction: Strong upright tops with great plant habit. High yielding deeper granex shape, strong root system, and firm bulbs. Pink root and bolting resistance.

Earliness: Early main

Sowing period: 09-15 - 09-25

Taste: Sweet

Pyruvates: 3.6

Lacrymatory Factor: 2.8

Shape: Granex

IR: Foc; Pt

RED SENSATION

Early maturing grano red. Strong healthy tops. Pink root resistance. Excellent bulb firmness and color. Uniform round bulbs. Good internal color. Widely adapted across short day growing regions. High percentage single centers.

Earliness: Early

Sowing period: 09-25 - 10-05

Taste: Very sweet

Shape: Grano

IR: Foc; Pt

ALISON

Late season short day yellow granex with upright tops. Deeper high yielding granex shape. Bolting resistance and very uniform. Strong outer skin layers. Produces well sized bulbs that result in good yields. Great option to fill later season slot in Vidalia.

Earliness: Late

Sowing period: 09-25 - 10-05

Taste: Very sweet

Pyruvates: 3.5

Lacrymatory Factor: 2.4

Shape: Granex

IR: Foc; Pt

PIRATE

Main Season short day yellow granex. Attractive lighter colored skin. Uniform and extra firm bulbs with high yielding deeper granex shape. High percentage of jumbos. Great post harvest appearance. A widely adapted variety across many short day regions.

Earliness: Main

Sowing period: 09-18 - 09-28

Taste: Sweet

Pyruvates: 3.4

Lacrymatory Factor: 2.6

Shape: Granex

IR: Foc; Pt

The research team snaps a quick pic on inoculation day of a field trial in Pasco, Wash.

the goal to help the produce industry better understand practices that may have contributed to contamination as well as practices that might reduce contamination and cross-contamination risks. Graduate students Jason Racine, Erik Ohman and Sasha Nerney are leading these efforts and share updates on each of their projects and next steps in this article.

Assessing Potential for Production Practices to Impact Dry Bulb Onion Safety

The 2022 field trials in Ontario, Oregon, and Pasco, Washington, focused on quantifying the contamination rate and survival of generic E. coli (a surrogate for Salmonella) on onions contaminated by a variety of late-season water applications.

In Ontario, Oregon, a pesticide (Pristine) and a kaolin clay (Surround) application were prepared with contaminated water and applied to fields of Redwing and Cometa onions in late August to contaminate each onion plant with ~300 cells of E. coli. Immediately after contaminated pesticide or clay

applications, 52-88 percent of the onion bulbs had detectable levels of E. coli. Contamination levels rapidly decreased, with only 5-20 percent of onion bulbs having detectable E. coli six hours after the spray applications. After two, seven and 16 days of field curing, E. coli was not detected on any onion bulbs tested (n = 160/day). On day 29 of field curing (harvest day), one onion out of 320 was positive for E. coli on enrichment. Results suggest that risks associated with late pesticide and clay applications

prepared with contaminated water were mitigated by field curing under the conditions present during the 2022 Oregon field trial.

In Pasco, Washington, water was contaminated with 1,600-2,000 E. coli/100 ml and applied to Calibra onions via drip and overhead irrigation that delivered 0.38 acre-inches in mid-August. Drip irrigation resulted in minimal contamination, with detection of E. coli on 12.5 percent of onion bulbs on day one. E. coli was not detected on any

BULB

Sam Kilgore with Oregon State University (left) and Jennifer Darner with Washington State University (right) work at the Pasco, Wash., field trial site in 2022.

drip-irrigated onion bulbs on days two, seven, 15 or 28 (n = 40/day). Overhead irrigation with contaminated water initially resulted in over 95 percent of the onions having between one and 22 E. coli cells per bulb. Detectable E. coli persisted on a small number of the onions (one out of 40) for two weeks. By the end of field curing (28 days), E. coli was not detected on onion bulbs (n = 80); however, viable E. coli was detected on two onion tops (leaves) at the end of curing.

Results demonstrate high contamination rates associated with overhead irrigation using contaminated water; however, conditions during field curing in Pasco in 2022 led to substantial die-off. Field trials for 2023 will likely focus on contamination risks associated with overhead irrigation with contaminated water.

Cleaning, Sanitizing Surfaces on Produce Farms

The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was signed into law in 2011 with the goal of decreasing the detrimental effect of foodborne illness by focusing on the source of the outbreaks. A key component of FSMA is the Produce Safety Rule (PSR), which establishes comprehensive, science-based minimum standards for the safe production of fruits and vegetables to reduce the risk of contamination leading to foodborne illnesses. As we entered the inspection and enforcement period of the PSR beginning in 2019, on-farm inspections identified inadequacies occurring in

many operations’ cleaning and sanitizing practices.

The goal of this project is to identify the current cleaning and sanitation practices and evaluate their efficacy. One aspect of this project was to quantify the efficacy of cleaning and sanitation programs in commercial fresh produce operations.

We visited five fresh produce operations between March and August of 2022 and sampled produce contact surfaces such as conveyors, buckets, storage containers and wash tanks to measure microbial and organic loads before and after completion of their cleaning and/or sanitation process. Four operations used wet-cleaning practices, while only one (an onion packinghouse) utilized a dry-cleaning program. One mixed vegetable operation and a blueberry harvesting operation cleaned and sanitized all food contact surfaces regularly. The berry packinghouse had a wet cleaning process with no sanitization step, and one mixed vegetable operation sanitized its food contact surfaces without prior cleaning steps.

The blueberry harvesting operation had the most robust cleaning and sanitizing program for its plastic harvest buckets, which included manually

levels, averaging at 100 relative light units (RLU) and 22 cells/100 sq. cm, respectively.

The berry packinghouse used an automated bin washer to clean its plastic storage trays. Cold pressurized water and trisodium phosphate were used in the washing system, and no sanitizer was applied. This cleaning procedure moderately reduced the microbial load from an average of 20,000 cells/100 sq. cm to an average 3,500 cells/100 sq. cm. Cleaning alone was consistently effective in reducing the organic load on plastic to an average 160 relative light units (RLU).

Dry cleaning procedures in the onion packinghouse had no impact on the microbial or organic loads in the onion packinghouse, averaging 170,000 cells/100 sq. cm. Organic load (ATP RLU results) were inaccurate due to the high level of soil and dust particles that likely interfered with detection of fluorescence. Laboratory experiments are underway to evaluate the impact of soil on the validity of ATP testing in these types of settings.

Dry Cleaning, Sanitation Strategies for Onion Industry

FDA’s outbreak response, resulting recalls and investigation report of the 2020 Salmonella outbreak linked

recall expanded to include hundreds of thousands of pounds of red, white and yellow onions handled in the same facility.

The overarching goal of this new project is to support food safety and risk management needs of the dry bulb onion industry, specifically in post-harvest storage and handling environments. Objectives for this research include: 1) characterizing growth and/or survival of E. coli in onions during post-harvest storage, and 2) defining optimal dry cleaning and/or sanitation of food contact surfaces to minimize crosscontamination risk.

The initial phases of this work will estimate microbial contamination levels of onions at harvest, throughout storage, as well as the transfer of these bacteria to and from food contact surfaces. This information will provide the foundation for subsequent experiments on transfer from surfaces to onions with and without the use of dry cleaning and/or sanitation. Visualization and simulations will be used to estimate cross-contamination risk under different scenarios.

We plan to share our findings through workshops in 2024 as well as sharing the modeling tool as a web-based application that facilities can use for evaluating potential changes to their cleaning and sanitation practices.

For this research to be successful, we need to have a clear understanding of the diverse surfaces, conditions and cleaning/ sanitizing practices in post-harvest onion storage and handling facilities. During the first half of 2023, we will be conducting phone interviews and site visits to postharvest facilities throughout Washington, Idaho and Oregon to characterize food contact surfaces, dry cleaning and sanitation methods, chemicals and tools, as well as potential barriers or concerns that the industry is willing to share. If you are interested and willing to be interviewed or host a site visit, please email joy.waite-cusic@oregonstate.edu or sasha.nerney@oregonstate.edu.

(2) ONLINE EQUIPMENT AUCTIONS

B & P Farms

Grant, MI | Tuesday, May 23

Auction highlights include: Onion Packing Line, Baggers, Sizers, Conveyors, Forklifts, Floor Scrubber, John Deere Tractor, Manure Spreader, Semi Trucks, plus much more. Visit Orbitbid.com for detailed information.

V & W Farms, Inc.

Byron Center, MI | Tuesday, May 23

Auction highlights include: New Holland TS135A Tractor, John Deere 224 Tractor, Allis G Tractor, IH Farmall BN Forklift, Takeuchi TB260 Excavator, Proptec Sprayer, Sub Soiler, Disc, Mechanical Transplanter, Bed Shaper, Bin Piler, Irrigation Pump, Produce Wagons, plus much more. Visit Orbitbid.com for detailed information.

For detailed information visit Orbitbid.com or call 616-261-4987

A 2022 field trial in Ontario, Ore., focuses on quantifying the contamination rate and survival of generic E. coli on onions contaminated by late-season water applications.

Health Report

for the industry to remain productive, a strong healthy onion association is needed now.”

Story

photos by Dan Drost and Claudia Nischwitz, Utah State University

Onion crop health and farmer mental health were featured topics covered during the 2023 Utah Onion Association winter meeting held Feb. 7. In welcoming attendees, Dan Drost with Utah State University (USU) thanked them for supporting the Utah onion industry for the past 31 years.

“I attended my first Utah Onion Association meeting in February 1992. Shawn Olsen and James Barnhill organized that meeting, and it was my first USU Extension event after arriving in Utah in January 1992,” Drost said. “The Utah onion industry was searching for answers to common problems then, and

Stop the Rot

Lindsey du Toit, a Washington State University plant pathologist, was the 2023 keynote speaker and shared an overview of the “Stop the Rot” program. Bacterial diseases occur throughout onion production regions in the U.S. They are hard to detect, poorly understood, have complex associations with onions and limited control options, and there are few resistant cultivars. Researchers from across the U.S. have been busy collecting and identifying bacterial pathogens found in onion production regions and evaluating bacterial disease management strategies to help minimize potential outbreaks.

“There is a wide diversity of bacteria found in onion fields, but most are not onion pathogens,” du Toit said.

She went on to characterize some studies conducted to identify crop management practices that may minimize bacterial infections. These include variety screening for tolerance to bacterial infections and how irrigation frequency, timing and application methods influence bacterial bulb rots. Of particular interest to the group was the information on the reduction in bacterial rot when chain diggers were used compared to straight blade undercutters.

“We’ve learned a lot about the extent and diversity of bacterial diseases through the studies conducted,” du Toit said. “Now we have to put those into practice.”

For more information on the Stop the Rot project, visit www.alliumnet.com.

Fusarium Bulb Rot

Claudia Nischwitz, a Utah State University plant pathologist, shared additional details on the Fusarium bulb rot problem showing up in the state. The disease is caused by Fusarium proliferatum and while outbreaks are rare, “the disease can resemble Botrytis neck rot” and can be hard to detect. A noticeable difference between the two diseases is that with Fusarium, fungal mycelium can frequently be seen growing between the scales in the bulb, according to Nischwitz.

Due to the infrequency of occurrence, little is known about the pathogen and

and

the disease life cycle. Nischwitz reported that higher incidence occurs when intense rainstorms occur in the two to three weeks before harvest, when necks are cut short, and when hot weather occurs after the storm. Nischwitz’s lab has started research to learn more about the pathogen, disease cycle and management strategies for growers.

Yield Monitoring

Doug Moore with HarvestMaster described how in-field yield monitoring can improve profitability and help growers better understand crop performance.

“Using reliable yield monitoring hardware that easily mounts to the harvester and a simple-to-use interface, in-field yield data is captured and displayed to help visualize crop performance,” Moore said.

He noted that while the system is not presently being used for onions, the harvest machines are similar to potato harvesters and thus, should be pretty easy to fit and adapt.

“Automated yield maps of fields are manufactured in real time, quickly accessed from the website and stored for future reference. Row-by-row performance is visualized and available when you need it,” he said.

Mental Wellness

April Litchford with USU Extension’s nutrition and wellness program shared with the audience “The Greatest Asset is You - Cultivating Mental Wellness.”

“Farmers are really stressed, and the level of stress is greater than that found in the general population,” Litchford said.

“Discussing stress and mental wellness is hard,” she said, adding that if not talked about, it can lead to depression and anxiety, which can impact how we work and interact with those around us.

To help manage stress, one needs

to create healthy habits like exercise, hobbies or sleep. “First, one needs to identify what is going on and talk about it. Second, when someone needs help, you need to respond through asking the individual what is happening. Finally, help them connect to the resources available so they can deal with their issues,” Litchford said.

The Utah Onion Association plans to hold its summer onion field day in Weber County on Aug. 8.

Tim Miller assesses onion varieties on display at the Utah Onion Association Winter Meeting.

Vidalia Onion Committee Names Grower of the Year

B&H Farms has been selected as the Vidalia Onion Committee (VOC) 2023 Grower of the Year. B&H Farms is operated by friends Ben Hilliard and Chase Brannen. In addition to 300 acres of Vidalia onions, the farm’s production includes watermelon, cattle, and a rotation between peanuts and cotton.

B&H Farms is a pioneer in contemporary farming thanks to the growers’ commitment to quality and technology, according to the VOC. They have tried to continually incorporate new practices and technology into the operation, including investments in machinery, land purchases and irrigation systems to continuously improve their functions and increase the quality of the farm’s products.

Vidalia Onion Committee Manager Retires

The Vidalia Onion Committee’s longtime manager Bob Stafford has retired after working with the Vidalia Onion Committee (VOC) and the Vidalia Onion Business Council for 29 years.

Stafford joined the VOC in 1994 as a compliance officer and then went on to work with committee members for audits, along with product labeling and other rules and regulations to maintain the strength of the Vidalia onion trademark. He was selected to manage the VOC in 2017. During his career, Stafford was inducted into the Vidalia Onion Hall of Fame and worked to implement the royalty fee for including Vidalia onions in processed foods, ensuring funds are utilized for Vidalia onion trademark protection and promotion.

Much of Stafford’s work has been in conjunction with his role as director of the Vidalia Onion Business Council, which he joined in the late 1990s. He will remain a consultant on the council until that position is filled.

Stokes Seeds Selects Southeast US Product Development Manager

Our proven accurate seed placement is why growers have continued to purchase our planters over these many years. Special inner and outer singulators removes doubles to insure placement of individual seeds.

All planters are assembled and tested at our plant in Chino, California, to insure accuracy.

Stokes Seeds has hired Gabriel Strickland as product development manager for the Southeast U.S. region, which includes Georgia, Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina. In this position, Strickland will be responsible for testing and identifying new products for introduction to the Stokes Seeds product line and ensuring regional and local adaptability. While advancing the Stokes Seeds product line, he will strengthen the connection between growers, their varietal options and their production goals, according to the company.

Strickland has a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education and communication from the University of Florida and has experience in commercial vegetable and sugar cane production and research.

Organic Onions Show Largest Sales Increase

The performance of individual organic produce categories ranged widely last year, according to the State of Organic Produce 2022, a report released by the Organic Produce Network. The 72-page report provides an overall view of organic produce retail performance in 2022, as well as specific insights into the top 20 organic produce categories.

In terms of year-over-year sales increases, onions led the way with a gain of 15.4 percent, enjoying doubledigit sales gains in all four regions of the U.S. The next best performers were cucumbers (11.3 percent) and potatoes (10.7 percent), while the worst performers were lettuce (−3.1 percent), celery (−2.3 percent) and bell peppers (−2.1 percent).

Total organic produce sales increased by 3 percent and volume decreased by −3.7 percent year over year. Looking at total retail sales, berries took the lead in 2022, edging out packaged salads. Bananas remained the top volume mover, with nearly 509 million pounds sold at retail in 2022.

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FROM THE NOA

Let’s Meet in Texas for a Joint NOA/NARC Convention

By René Hardwick, National Onion Association Director of Public and Industry Relations

For the first time in four years, onion researchers and growers will convene under one roof to talk shop in December. We’re telling you now because we’re that excited. The last time the National Onion Association (NOA) and the National Allium Research Conference (NARC) met was in July 2019 in Madison, Wisconsin.

With the pandemic squarely behind us and managed better, we are happy to prepare for a joint meeting Nov. 29-Dec. 2 in San Antonio, Texas. It will be a convention filled with presentations from the best onion disease and pest management researchers across the country, political discussions, and boots-on-the-ground onion exploration of south Texas onion fields.

The beauty of this pairing is that NOA growers and members can learn the latest in research and politics dealing with the impacts of federal regulations, pesticide label changes and residue limits, and disease and pest management.

The San Antonio meeting will give researchers and growers the chance to tour an onion field at Cargil Farms Produce in Uvalde, Texas, and the Texas A&M Research and Extension Center in Uvalde.

Texas ranks sixth in U.S. onion production. The U.S. Department of Agriculture shows that in 2021, approximately 15,950 tons of onions were grown on 11,500 acres in the state, generating about $94.3 million in industry revenue and about $206.5 million in state revenue.

Last May, Texas A&M researchers discovered a new bacterial species in Uvalde after a three-year study. Its effects and geographic distribution have yet to be fully vetted. It is likely to be a hot topic of

conversation at the Texas A&M research station we will visit.

All are welcome to come to this convention. You do not have to be a member to show up and find out the value NOA conventions can bring.

You’ll want to book this trip early, though. With a larger than normal group, hotel rooms may be at a premium. We have blocks of rooms at the San Antonio Marriott Riverwalk, where the convention will be held.

This will be the first time our meetings have been held in Texas since 2009. Winter weather in Texas is nominal. You should prepare for temperatures in the 50s. It’s a rarity, but sometimes the area does get snow.

If you are not a member and would like to attend, please call the NOA office at (970) 353-5895.

To learn more about NARC, visit www. alliumnet.com/narc. Registration links will be up soon at www.onions-usa.org.

San Antonio’s beautiful River Walk will host a combined NOA and NARC meeting Nov. 29 – Dec. 2.