Onion World September/October 2021

Voice of the Industry • OnionWorld.net

September/October 2021

Finding His Voice Advertiser Index

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Onions on the Radar in Nashville and With FDA • Adequate Coverage

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Table of Contents Magazines For Maximum Yield

ONION WORLD Volume 37, Number 6

September / October 2021 6 Finding His Voice

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

Columbia Basin Onion

10 Onions on the Radar in Nashville and With FDA NOA Summer Convention

Editor Denise Keller editor@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com Director of Operations Brian Feist brian@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com

14 Adequate Coverage

Evaluating Spray Deposition on Onion Leaves

20 Storage Essentials

EDITORIAL INFORMATION 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.

Buyers' Guide

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

SUBSCRIPTIONS U.S. $24 per year Canada $40 per year Foreign $80 per year Payments may be made by check, Visa, MasterCard or American Express.

Day or night, partiers buzz Broadway Street in Nashville, site of the 2021 NOA Summer Convention. See story page 10.

On the Cover

Departments

Jared Gutierrez, general manager of Columbia Basin Onion in Hermiston, Ore., has taken on two leadership roles in the onion industry this year. Get to

19 22 22

Calendar In the News Advertiser Index

know this industry advocate on page 6.

4

Onion World • September / October 2021

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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Columbia Basin Onion

Finding His Voice Story and photos by Denise Keller, Editor

It

would be hard to argue that Jared Gutierrez hasn’t stepped up to the plate this year. As general manager of Columbia Basin Onion, he’s helping the company navigate the ripple effects of the pandemic. As an industry advocate, he’s taking on leadership roles with the Washington Potato and Onion Association and the National Onion Association.

Jared Gutierrez checks the progress of early direct-seed onions in early May.

The Advocate

Originally from southeast Idaho, Gutierrez grew up on a small potato farm and farmed with his dad until 2009. He then went to work for Bybee Frozen Foods for several years before taking the job as general manager at Columbia Basin Onion in Hermiston, Oregon, in 2017.

Wanting to cooperate with other growers and take a proactive approach to industry issues, Gutierrez joined the Washington Potato and Onion Association (WPOA), which includes Oregon’s Umatilla and Morrow counties, and helped reestablish the group’s onion committee in the area in 2018.

He assumed the role of WPOA vice president in June 2021. Member growers communicate about crop conditions and the market outlook and work together to tackle legislative issues at the state level.

In July, Gutierrez added another title to his resume when he was selected as the National Onion Association (NOA) second vice president at the NOA summer convention. He will fill this position until the annual convention this winter, then serve a two-year term as first vice president and take over as NOA president in 2023.

Gutierrez is a longtime NOA member and has served as a trustee and a member of the legislative and promotion committees. In the last few years, he has become more involved, traveling to Washington D.C. in February 2020 and again this past June. there, he enjoys giving the industry a voice through which to express concerns and bring issues to the attention of legislators.

“I find it intriguing to be able to at least present a case or an argument to lawmakers. It keeps you going; it’s

6

Onion World • September / October 2021

a sense of job security. If you’re not fighting for your industry, then what do you have?” Gutierrez says. “It’s nice to be able to relate and communicate the concerns of an industry.”

Gutierrez also enjoys the comradery of working with his peers. there are good people in the mix, he says, and more members are always welcome. “the NOA and WPOA need all the support they can get. the more people you have united with the same thought and energy and fight, the better off you’re going to be,” Gutierrez says. “I think the work they do goes unnoticed. there are a lot of things that are being battled for sight unseen until people get involved and realize the issues, but yet they were still benefactors of it. these associations help the whole industry. I encourage everyone to put their foot forward and have a voice.”

Looking ahead, Gutierrez expects that the NOA will continue to address the challenges associated with onion imports and work to ensure that marketing orders are sustained and upheld. Other priorities include trying to keep necessary chemicals on the market by presenting research demonstrating their safe use under the Interregional Research Project No. 4 (IR-4 program), and talking to lawmakers about the concerns and issues facing each onion producing state. “the more they know, the more we hope they’ll fight for us, regardless of partisanship,” Gutierrez says.

The Manager

In addition to volunteering with onion industry associations, Gutierrez stays busy managing operations at Columbia Basin Onion. the grower-packer-shipper handles 3,500 to 4,000 truckloads of onions per year, with the shed typically running 11 months of the year.

Overwinter onions, which make up about 5 percent of the farm’s onion crop, kick off the new season. Planted in early September of the previous year, they’re harvested around the third week of June. transplants, accounting for another 5 percent of the crop, are planted in March and harvested in mid-July. the early direct-seed onions follow about a week later and make up 10 percent of the crop.

Finally, harvest of the storage onion crop begins in mid-August.

Roughly two-thirds of the onions are grown conventionally, with one-third under organic production. the region experiences good weather for onion production, with a lower elevation allowing for more heat units during the growing season. With ideal weather,

Jared Gutierrez (right) is the new National Onion Association second vice president. Pictured at the summer convention, from left, are Delbert Gehrke, first vice president; Doug Bulgrin, president; and Gutierrez.

Jared Gutierrez displays a handful of overwinter onions.

Columbia Basin Onion planting can begin as early as midFebruary, which can give the grower a marketing edge. the majority of the onions are sold on the domestic wholesale market. the pandemic, however, shifted the program at Columbia Basin Onion. Sales of larger onions slowed as foodservice halted.

Meanwhile, demand for medium onions increased, especially with the creation of the USDA Farmers to Families Food Box Program last spring. the consumer packing line became busy, and retail consumer packaging became in short supply.

“We’ve had these highs and lows. It feels like a roller coaster ride through the 2020 crop season, but you just find new outlets for it and we just push forward,” Gutierrez says, adding that Columbia Basin Onion planted its usual onion program in 2021. “It’s still a little nerve wracking for the upcoming season. We’re trying to be optimistic, and we’re hoping the pandemic gets under control soon.”

The Future

Given that Columbia Basin Onion’s plant is designed to sustain the foodservice and wholesale market, the pandemic made Gutierrez more aware of the need for additional consumer pack equipment. He is also looking at ways to increase the facility’s efficiency in order to minimize the impact of labor shortages and the rising minimum wage. Columbia Basin Onion uses automated bagging, automated palletizing, and external optics to detect blemishes, sunscald and peeling. the company is also in the research and development phase with an internal optics camera system to scan for internal decay or growth. So far, Gutierrez says, the system works great on yellows and whites, but it’s challenging for cameras to penetrate through a red onion’s dark layers.

Finding innovative solutions to problems in the packing shed, in the field and in the industry is something Gutierrez enjoys. And he’s happy to play a part in shaping the future of farming.

“Farmers are still the backbone of America. that’s really where it’s at,” he says. “You have to find ways to fight the fight, whether you’re fighting imports of the same crop from another country or you’re fighting EPA regulations – water, chemicals, fertilizer – it makes it harder and harder to try to establish what we do. I enjoy fighting those legislative fights.”

8

Jared Gutierrez, general manager of Columbia Basin Onion, oversees operations at the company’s packing shed in Hermiston, Ore. Jared Gutierrez stands among pallets of bagged onions in Columbia Basin Onion’s finished product staging area.

Onion World • September / October 2021

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NOA Summer Convention

Onions on the Radar in Nashville and With FDA Story and photos by Dave Alexander, Publisher

t

he music city of Nashville, tennessee, played host to the National Onion Association (NOA) Summer Convention July 14-17. Onions were on the menu and the radar of the staff at the Nashville Downtown Hilton Garden Inn, but more importantly, the FDA could be searching for onion radar pings in the future. the convention featured a reception, a dinner with fundraising auction, a raucous night on the town, and in-person and virtual speakers.

Nashville was originally scheduled for 2020, but, as you know, the pandemic changed everything. 2021 is a different year, however. the nighttime crowds in Nashville were huge, with people enjoying a mask-free environment on the streets, stuffing sidewalks and bars on Broadway Street to overflowing.

Outside the NOA convention, drinking and dancing revelers piled into opentop buses to cruise the strip. But inside, things were more subdued as dreaded Salmonella and transportation woes were on the agenda.

Trace-back

Dr. Jennifer McIntire, senior vice president of food safety at the United Fresh Produce Association, was on hand from Washington D.C. to discuss the FDA investigation into last summer’s Salmonella Newport outbreak in red onions. No stranger to produce, McIntire has seen many outbreaks in her 20-year career, and each one has its own nuances and peculiarities.

Based on “very solid” trace-back evidence, McIntire is convinced that the 2020 Salmonella outbreak (which is the third largest since the 1980s and probably made as many as 50,000 people sick) originated in red onions. the sickness was traced back to 10 unrelated restaurants, which were linked back to four distributors, and each of those distributors traced back to the same particular farm. When the FDA visited the farm, no evidence of Salmonella was found in onions. that is not unusual, according to McIntire, and she thinks by the time the FDA got there, Salmonella was gone and had already moved through

Rene Hardwick with the NOA speaks at the NOA Summer Convention, asking listeners to plan for the 2022 Summer Convention in Boise, Idaho.

10

Onion World • September / October 2021

the system. It was not something long term or residual causing it. “that is good for the industry,” she said. “You don’t want to be Romaine, where every year you are having an outbreak.”

On the Radar

though McIntire believes the outbreak was a one-off event, a perfect storm and not likely to be repeated, her advice is to not ignore it. McIntire outlined vulnerabilities the onion industry is now facing: • The geno-sequence for Salmonella Newport is now in the federal database. though she characterizes it as unfair, a match to the pathogen in the future will automatically turn raised eyebrows toward onions.

• Onions are now on the FDA’s radar because a link to pathogens has been established. though onions may have flown under the radar in the past, McIntire expects more FDA attention on the industry as a whole. this may lead to closer scrutiny and more questions being asked about the commodity.

Response

McIntire recommends that the industry update the onion food safety best practices document that the NOA developed in 2010. this can be found at www.onions-usa.org/all-about-onions/ storage-and-handling. An updated and revised document could be used as a tool to demonstrate to others that “these are the standard practices,” paint the industry in a good light, defend the industry, build relationships and create a receptive audience within the FDA, CDC and the wider stakeholder community.

She said it is important that the onion industry takes the lead on a new Good Agricultural Practices document rather than the FDA.

“You will always know your industry better than the FDA does,” she said.

Trucks and Ships

there doesn’t seem to be a shortage of open-top buses in Nashville for rolling bachelorette parties, but domestic trucks and foreign shipping containers are few and far between.

Peter Friedmann, executive director of the Agriculture transportation Coalition, told convention attendees that the entire supply chain is affected by an unprecedented surge in shipping from Asia. Shipping containers are filled to the brink, racing as fast as they can to deliver Chinese goods to the U.S., then racing back again (often empty) to get another load. It is more cost-effective for shipping operators to return unloaded and hurry back across the Pacific than to sit and wait for U.S. exports.

Before the surge, a typical freight charge on a container was $3,000 from China to the U.S. that charge has now ballooned to $20,000 per container. Every ship carries between 14,000 and 18,000 containers, so that is the number of trucks needed to move the merchandise across the country. there are simply not enough drivers or empty trucks. the Agriculture transportation Coalition would like to see the minimum age lowered for commercial truck drivers, hours of operation expanded and load limits increased to help with the transportation dilemma. But these are issues that would take time and legislation to resolve, even if there was no opposition to these ideas.

Friedmann expects this current transportation crunch to last at least until after the second quarter of 2022. By then, retailers hopefully will have restocked empty shelves, making more ocean shipping and trucks available.

Greg Yielding, NOA executive vice president, asks Jennifer McIntire, United Fresh Produce Association senior vice president of food safety, a question at the NOA Summer Convention in Nashville, Tenn.

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NOA Summer Convention: Nashville After Dark

Vacationers and convention attendees see the sights of Nashville, including a stop at the Redneck Riviera, where NOA attendees enjoyed a bar-b-que and music.

Diners enjoy the dinner and auction at the NOA Summer Convention.

12

Onion World • September / October 2021

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Spray Deposition

Adequate Coverage Evaluating Spray Deposition on Onion Leaves

By Bekker Wessels, Gideon van Zyl and Philip Rebel, ProCrop, South Africa

t

he poor efficacy that many onion growers experience when applying fungicides and bactericides might be explained, at least in part, by a recent research project. The field study, which evaluated spray deposition on onion leaves, sheds light on the reasons why onions pose a particular challenge to achieving adequate coverage when spraying chemicals for disease control.

Effective pre-harvest crop protection in onions depends largely on the successful spray application of plant protectant products (PPP). there are many factors at play in crop protection that influence the success of spray applications. these include product efficacy, application timing, pest and/or disease pressure, environmental conditions when applying the PPP and effective spray deposition of the PPP on target surfaces (leaves and necks in the case of onions). the biological efficacy of the application depends largely on the effective deposition of the PPP to the target area. The factors that influence spray deposition on onions are fairly unknown as few in-depth spray deposition studies on onions have been conducted.

Effective spray deposition depends on three parameters: deposition quantity, deposition quality on the target plant surfaces and deposition uniformity between targets (leaves and necks in the case of onions). Deposition quantity is the correct amount of PPP needed on the target surface for effective pest or disease control. The effective quantity of PPP needs to be distributed evenly over the target surface to increase the chance that pests or pathogen inoculum are contacted by the PPP; this is referred to as deposition quality. Good deposition quantity and quality must be uniform on all target surfaces to limit the risk of epidemics developing in fields; this is referred to as deposition uniformity.

The process of achieving effective spray deposition must be optimized for each crop type to solve the unique

14

challenges faced when spraying the crop. these include crop factors (plant surface orientation in relation to incoming

droplets and target surface characteristics such as hydrophobicity, size of the target surface and crop canopy density),

Figure 1. Fluorescent pigment deposition on onion leaves at 300, 450 and 600 L/ha with air-assisted and non-air-assisted sprayers. The green areas indicate where the spray was deposited on the leaves.

Figure 2. Median deposition quantity (FPC%) on the top, middle or bottom of onion leaves following sprays at different volumes with air-assisted and non-air-assisted spray booms. Values followed by sprays at different with significantly air-assisted air and non-air-assisted non HSD, assisted booms.

Values followed by of thethree the same letter volumes do not differ (Tukey’s p <spray 0.05).

Values are the median replicates. Minimum significant difference = 0.2299. same letter do not differ significantly (Tukey’s Tukey’s HSD, p < 0.05) 0.05).. Values are the median of three replicates replicates. * - A= without air assistance Minimum = 0.2299.

0.2299 ** +AA significant = with air difference assistance Figure 1. Median deposition quantity (FPC%) on the top, middle or bottom of onion leaves following

* - A= without air assistance

** +AA = with air assistance Onion World • September / October 2021

effective spray volume, driving speed, droplet size, spray application equipment and the influence of spray additives.

Challenges

Onions pose a particular challenge because it can be difficult to spray effectively due to two important crop factors: 1) the vertical orientation of most leaves in relation to incoming spray droplets, and 2) the hydrophobic, waxy leaves.

Vertical targets such as the leaves of onion crops make it more difficult to achieve adequate deposition because of the leaf orientation in relation to incoming droplets sprayed at the canopy with a horizontal boom sprayer. the horizontal area that intercepts droplets effectively is small in relation to the total surface area of onion leaves. the hydrophobic wax layer on onion leaves further complicates deposition of droplets that have been intercepted, especially larger droplets that readily roll off the leaf. In addition, the steep angle at which droplets are intercepted by onion leaves may result in droplet bounce and/ or failure to retain the droplets on the leaves. The influence of these factors on spray deposition parameters on onion leaves needs to be investigated.

Table 1. Treatments used to evaluate spray deposition in onion crops

Treatment

Sprayer type

1

Water volume

Nozzle type

L/ha

Gal/acre

No air assistance

300

32

Hardi ISO F-110˚ blue

2

No air assistance

450

48

Hardi ISO F-110˚ brown

3

No air assistance

600

64

Hardi ISO F-110˚ white

4

Air assistance

300

32

Hardi ISO F-110˚ blue

5

Air assistance

450

48

Hardi ISO F-110˚ brown

6

Air assistance

600

64

Hardi ISO F-110˚ white

Let your onions breathe easy.

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Trial

A study was initiated to evaluate the influence on spray deposition parameters on onions of: 1) water volume of the spray application, and 2) spray applicator type (with or without air assistance on the sprayer) (Table 1). Using fluorometry, macrophotography and image analysis, all three deposition parameters were evaluated. the trial was conducted in a commercial onion field on the De Keur farm, Leeurivier, near the town of Op Die Berg in the Western Cape of South Africa in November 2020. the onion canopy was mature at the time of application, with an average height of 0.6 m (2 ft). Spraying was done under sunny conditions with mild to warm temperatures (25-30 degrees Celsius, 77-95 degrees Fahrenheit) and calm conditions (3.5 – 5.0 km/h or 2.1 – 3.1 mph winds). Relative humidity ranged from 48 to 62 percent.

All treatments were applied with a Hardi Commander air-assisted sprayer.

For treatments applied without air

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Spray Deposition

Figure 3. Median deposition uniformity (CV%) on the top, middle or bottom of onion leaves following sprays at different volumes, with or without air-assisted booms. Values followed by the same sprays at different volumes, volumes with or (Tukey’s without air-assisted airHSD, assisted the same letter do not differ significantly p <booms.

0.05). Values Valuesfollowed are thebymedian ofletter threedoreplicates.

Minimum significant difference = 70.351. not differ significantly (Tukey’s (Tukey’s HSD, p < 0.05) 0.05). Values are the median of three replicates. Minimum * - AA = without air assistance significant difference = 70.351.

70.351 ** +AA = with air assistance Figure 2. Median deposition uniformity (CV%) on the top, middle or bottom of onion leaves following

* - AA = without air assistance ** +AA = with air assistance

assistance, the fan unit producing air assistance was disengaged. Six treatments were each applied at the same speed of 6 km/h (3.7 mph). An optimal boom height of 30 to 50 cm (1 ft) above the top of the canopy was used as per nozzle specifications. The spray liquid consisted of water and a yellow fluorescent pigment (40 percent EC (SARDI, Loxton, South

Australia) applied at 3 ml per liter) to visualize spray deposition on the leaves.

Treatments

three spray volumes were evaluated (table 1). All three water volumes were done with and without air assistance for the spray applicator, for a total of six treatments. the water volume was

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adjusted by changing nozzle size to keep the droplet spectrum at a medium (236-340 μm) volume median diameter (VMD) (ASABE S572.1 droplet size classification).

A completely randomized, split plot experimental design was used. Each treatment was replicated three times.

Each treatment was applied to onion plants in rows over a width of 2 m and a length of 10-15 m. Only one treatment (nozzle type and volume combination) was done per spray pass (4 m section with eight nozzles) to minimize drift between adjacent plots.

After the treatments were sprayed, leaves were sampled randomly from onion plants for a total of 12 leaves per replicate per treatment (36 leaves per treatment). Each leaf was cut into three pieces representing the top, middle and bottom of the canopy. Leaf samples were stored individually in plastic bags based on the sampling position.

Spray deposition analyses were done directly on the sampled onion leaves using high power UV lights in stereo to visualize fluorescent particles on the leaf surface (Fig. 1). A high quality digital image was taken of each leaf piece. the images were then analyzed with digital image analysis software to determine deposition parameters (quantity, quality and uniformity).

Results

the results are presented based on the vertical canopy position: •Top – The top third of the onion leaf, from the tip of the leaf down to a third of the length •Middle – The middle third of the leaf length •Bottom – The bottom third of the leaf, from the neck of the bulb upward Deposition quantity: Deposition quantity is expressed as percentage fluorescent particle coverage (FPC%).

This is based on the specific SARDI yellow fluorescent pigment used for these evaluations. Previous studies have used the same pigment with fungicides to determine how much FPC% is needed for disease control, assuming the pigment accurately represents specific fungicide particles. these studies determined the deposition quantity benchmark levels indicative of bio-efficacy that is

to be used in deposition studies. the theoretical bio-efficacy benchmark value for copper oxychloride-type fungicides was determined to be 4.14 FPC%, and 1.35 FPC% for mancozeb containing fungicides. These FPC% values are currently used by ProCrop as reference deposition quantity values when doing spray application trials and evaluating deposition data.

Spray deposition results for the onion trial indicated that deposition quantity on the top, middle and bottom parts of leaves sprayed with 300, 450 and 600 L/ha ranged from 1.08 to 0.18 FPC% (Fig. 2). these values are very low compared to the benchmark deposition values of 1.35 to 4.14 FPC%. No significant differences were found among any of the spray treatments or the canopy leaf positions.

Furthermore, no differences in deposition quantity were observed when spray applications were made with or without air assistance.

Based on similar work in winter grain and potato crops, the deposition quantity on onion leaves was very low. Previous studies on potatoes and winter wheat indicated leaf orientation to incoming droplets was the most important factor in droplet interception. Droplets are more easily intercepted by large, horizontal leaf targets compared to thin, vertical leaf targets. the low deposition quantity on onion leaves can, therefore, be ascribed to: 1) the mostly vertical leaf orientation, and possibly 2) the hydrophobicity of waxy onion leaves impacting spray droplets.

Deposition uniformity: Deposition uniformity is expressed as the coefficient of variation (CV%) of the deposition quantity. Lower CV% values indicate better spray uniformity. For this onion trial, spray deposition uniformity was poor overall for all three spray volumes, with high variation in the spray (Fig. 3).

Overall, the tops of the leaves had the greatest variation (poorest) in deposition uniformity (92.10 CV%), followed by the middle of the leaves (74.49 CV%), with the best uniformity on the bottom of leaves (59.21 CV%). Air-assisted sprays seemed to deliver poorer uniformity to the top part of the canopy; however, this trend was not consistent.

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Spray Deposition Deposition quality: Deposition quality is expressed as the interquartile range of distribution (ICD%). Lower ICD% values indicate better deposition quality. As with uniformity, deposition quality per onion leaf was poor (66.32 to 85.91 ICD%) for all three spray volumes evaluated (Fig. 4).

In relation to deposition quality achieved on other crops with vertical foliage, such as winter grains, deposition quality can be classified as acceptable but needing improvement. No discernible treatment effects on deposition quality were noted except for the possibility of air-assisted sprays delivering poorer deposition quality in comparison to boom sprays.

Conclusions

Although we did not observe a lot of spray deposition on the surface of onion leaves in this field study, the results had a lot to tell. the low deposition quantity observed is ascribed to the slim leaf area and vertical orientation of leaves to incoming droplets, reducing the droplet interception area, as well as the waxy nature of the leaves. this is a tricky problem to solve since onion leaf orientation is not a very adaptable

Figure 4. Median deposition quality (ICD%) on the top, middle or bottom of onion leaves. Values followed by the same letter do not differ significantly (Tukey’s HSD, p < 0.05). Values are the followed byof thethree samereplicates. letter do notMinimum differ significantly (Tukey’s Tukey’s HSD, p <=0.05).

Values are the median of median significant difference 14.524. * - AA = without air assistance three replicates.

Minimum significant difference = 14.524. ** +AA = with air assistance Figure 3. Median deposition quality (ICD%) on the top, middle or bottom of onion leaves. Values

* - AA = without air assistance ** +AA = with air assistance

trait. the low deposition quantity raises questions about the efficacy of contact fungicide use since the targets (fungal spores or bacterial cells) are stationary.

Poor deposition quantity and quality reduce the chance of protectant fungicides coming into contact with germinating spores or bacterial cells. Contact insecticides might still be effective

against insect pests such as thrips as these insects move around, increasing their chance of coming in contact with insecticides. the results of this trial also raise questions regarding the use of air-assisted sprayers in onions, as was the case in similar studies conducted in wheat and potatoes. No significant difference was seen with the water volumes evaluated in this trial. Future work will aim at a lower spray volume, higher concentration of spray application, as well as the influence of adjuvants that might improve the retention of droplets on the waxy onion leaves.

Authors’ note: We would like to acknowledge Korkom South Africa, an onion growers’ association, for funding this research.

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Onion World • September / October 2021

Calendar

TURNING RAW IDEAS INTO STAINLESS STEEL SOLUTIONS

Oct. 28-30

CMI is an expert at taking a vision - and engineering it to work at production speed.

PMA Fresh Summit New Orleans www.freshsummit.com

Whether onions need to be peeled, or a complete processing line developed, CMI delivers its magic in stainless steel.

Nov. 17-18 Pacific Northwest Vegetable Association Conference and Trade Show three Rivers Convention Center Kennewick, Wash.

Sheri Nolan, (509) 585-5460 or www.pnva.org

www.cmiequip-eng.com

320-864-5894

Dec. 1-4 National Onion Association Annual Convention Puerto Rico www.onions-usa.org

Dec. 7-9 Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market EXPO DeVos Place Conference Center Grand Rapids, Mich. www.glexpo.com

GROWING

BETTER

PARTNERSHIPS

Editor’s note: Information was correct at presstime. Please contact event organizers to check for possible changes.

ONION WORLD

NEVER MISS AN ISSUE!

SuBSCRiBe AT OnionWorld.net or call 503-724-3581

Todd Rehrman Area Sales Manager West Coast 209-226-5725 t.rehrman@enzazaden.com

René Emch Senior Product Specialist Pacific NorthWest 657-276-1021 r.emch@enzazaden.com

Javier Russek Senior Product Specialist Dealer Sales West 831-240-5736 j.russek@enzazaden.com

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19

Storage Essentials Buyers' Guide Agri-Stor Companies • www.agri-stor.com Disinfecting and Controls

Agri-Stor Companies carries quality disinfectants for onions, utilizing hydrogen peroxide and peracetic acid to protect storages and produce from bacteria and fungi. The company also carries a full line of organic products. Agri-Stor has the application expertise to handle a wide variety of crop protection solutions.

In addition to crop protection, Agri-Stor Companies helps growers take control of their onion storage with the Agri-Star Panel. The panel can handle everything from curing mode and burners to temperature, airflow and carbon dioxide levels. The intuitive app allows for off-site storage monitoring and controls management to save travel time.

Disinfecting Services, LLC • www.disinfectingservices.net Harvest 6.0

Harvest 6.0 serves as a versatile sanitizer and disinfectant for onions going into storage or already in storage. This product was released as one of the strongest disinfectants, labeled for onions, on the market. Harvest 6.0 utilizes hydrogen peroxide and peracetic acid to protect against fungi, algae and bacteria. The combination of these two ingredients is both effective and environmentally friendly. Harvest 6.0 has also been proven to be an effective disinfectant on equipment and cleaning storage facilities.

GroupAg • www.groupag.com Thermal Fogging

Not all PAA thermal fogging is the same.

More than 10 years ago, GroupAg developed a highly effective thermal fogging application method using Jet-Ag. Since that first application, GroupAg has continuously refined its application equipment specifically designed for applying PAA chemistries in storages. GroupAg has performed and submitted to extensive laboratory testing, as well as real-world bacteria and fungus testing before and after the application in storages, and has shown great results for sanitizing crops in storage.

Jet Harvest Solutions • www.jetharvest.com Jet-Ag

Jet-Ag’s original and unique patented formulation and process superheats and produces a thermal fog, which creates a vapor that permeates throughout the storage facility.

The patented technology utilizes the free radicals generated from superheated Jet-Ag into super microbial oxides which kills all microorganisms including bacteria, fungi and algae such as bacterial soft rot pathogens, Botrytis and black mold.

Jet-Ag also has a desiccant effect which creates a curative effect on the onion bulb in storage to help control disease. Jet-Ag can be applied at any time, but ideally upon completed storage of onions. Jet Harvest Solutions and Industrial Ventilation (IVI) offer application of this cost-effective treatment.

20

Onion World • September / October 2021

Pacific Building Systems • www.pbsbuildings.com Steel Buildings

Proudly serving business owners, communities and farmers throughout the Pacific Northwest, PBS offers the experience and products to meet onion growers’ crop storage building needs. As experts in the pre-engineered metal building industry since 1962, PBS designs, details, engineers and manufactures steel buildings.

The company offers multiple bulk storage methods, effective building optimization and quality building products. Customers can incorporate mezzanines, crane bridges and solar panels in designs based on building requirements. The company also engineers and designs building additions and expansions to accommodate business growth and increase buildings’ functionality and durability.

Through the use of sound engineering, superior steel and seasoned experience, PBS provides reliable, high quality steel buildings customized to fit customer needs.

Suberizer • www.suberizer.com Suberizer Storage Systems

Suberizer offers turnkey storage systems that are engineered for maximum efficiency. As a proven industry leader in raw product storage, Suberizer’s commitment to innovation has impacted the way raw products are stored. Suberizer Curve and Envelope storage systems use AirEverywhere floors that ensure optimum airflow through the pile. This system minimizes loss, maintains quality and maximizes return.

Titan Steel • www.builtwithtitan.com Meridian and Varco Pruden Buildings

Titan Steel has a combined experience of more than 50 years building straight and arch wall metal buildings. Primarily offering Meridian and Varco Pruden buildings, Titan Steel has the ability to meet the needs of all its customers. With the technology and products offered from both Meridian and Varco Pruden, combined with Titan Steel’s building experience, businesses receive a quality product that will take their storage to the next level for years to come.

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In the News

Disinfecting Services Names New VP

Disinfecting Services LLC has hired Garrett Pace as the company’s new vice president of operations.

Pace grew up in Utah and has been living in Rexburg, Idaho, for the past 21 years. He has been involved in farming and construction businesses for 20 years.

Disinfecting Services is located in Rexburg and has been providing storage disinfecting services and applying disinfectants on stored potatoes for the past 28 years.

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Vive Crop Protection has been selected as the “Crop Protection Solution of the Year” in the 2021 Agtech Breakthrough Awards.

Vive Crop Protection has created six new fungicide and insecticide products using trusted active ingredients with its patented nano-polymer Allosperse Delivery System technology.

Allosperse allows previously incompatible products to be mixed with liquid fertilizer and other crop inputs and applied in one application.

“Developing novel active ingredients can take decades and cost millions of dollars,” said Bryan Vaughn, managing director of Agtech Breakthrough Awards. “Vive Crop Protection has put its focus on making existing active ingredients more efficient and able to be applied differently, allowing growers to use proven active ingredients in new ways to create on-farm efficiency and value. this includes both biological and chemical active ingredients, which Vive can easily deliver in the same jug.”

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Onion World • September / October 2021

Agri-Stor .............................23 Bejo ......................................5 Chinook Equipment ..............5 Clearwater Supply ................5 CMI .....................................19 Enza Zaden ........................19 Fox Packaging ....................15 Fox Solutions ......................22 Gearmore ...........................16 Gowan ..................................3 Gowan Seed .......................11 L&M ....................................21 NOA ......................................3 Noffsinger ...........................18 Nunhems ............................17 PNVA ....................................3 Redwood Empire Awning .....5 Seedway .............................13 Stokes.................................17 Suberizer ............................24 Teleos Ag Solutions ..............2 Verbruggen ...........................9

Stokes Seeds Expands Southeastern US Team

Stokes Seeds has brought Gary Holloway on board as the company’s warehouse supervisor and trials-sales coordinator. In this newly created position, Holloway will be responsible for seed and service to growers in the LaBelle and Immokalee, Florida, areas, providing commercial vegetable seed recommendations. He will also work with the Stokes Seeds sales team in coordinating on-farm product trials.

Holloway studied business administration and marketing at Edison State College. He brings 15 years of agriculture experience to Stokes Seeds, including past work in herbicide sales, commercial crop production, and warehouse and inventory management.

Certis Welcomes VP of Marketing

Certis Biologicals has added Chris Judd to the Certis leadership team as the global vice president of marketing. His previous roles include global growth and asset management in bringing new products to market and evaluating existing assets for maximum value proposition within marketing at BASF and Novozymes.

In his new position with Certis, Judd says product marketing will be key to continuing to meet the needs of customers and channel partners, both with existing products and a robust innovation pipeline

Drexel Adds to Sales Team

Drexel Chemical Company has promoted Zack Wilbanks to an inside sales position. He will be the contact point for Drexel’s outside sales team’s product-related questions including availability, pricing and order status and will maintain the sales responsibility for specialty accounts which he has been servicing the last few years.

Before joining Drexel as a marketing assistant and then a sales representative covering specialty products, Wilbanks graduated from the University of tennessee at Martin with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural business.

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