ONION WORLD Voice of the Industry • OnionWorld.net • July / August 2020
A Different Road Red Sky Ag
Maggot Management Harvest Essentials Stop the Rot
PROTECT ONIONS from NEMATODES
High-yielding, high-quality onions begin with Telone® II soil fumigant. Telone provides the greatest level of nematode management and creates a zone of protection throughout seedbeds. Blending Telone with chloropicrin will also help manage pink root and Fusarium. By significantly reducing nematode populations, Telone becomes part of an effective long-term nematode management program.
Telone® is a Restricted Use Pesticide. Telone is labeled under FIFRA 24(c) for nematode suppression in cotton and as an at-plant application only in the state of Georgia. In Florida, Telone is labeled under FIFRA 24(c) for nematode suppression with additional use restrictions in certain counties, including: Brevard, Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Martin, Monroe, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Lucie, Sumter and Volusia. The use of Telone is prohibited in Broward and Dade counties. Consult the Supplemental Labeling for the specific restrictions in your area or call 800-258-3033 for more information. Some products are not registered for sale or use in all states. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your state. Consult the label before purchase or use for full details. Always read and follow label directions. ®Telone is a trademark of The Dow Chemical Company. ©2020 Corteva
Table of Contents Magazines For Maximum Yield
ONION WORLD Volume 36, Number 5
July / August 2020
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
6 Maggot Management
Seed Treatment Recommendations for Onion Maggot Control
8 Stop the Rot!
National U.S. Team to Combat Bacterial Diseases of Onion with Fierce Collaboration
12 Harvest Essentials Buyers' Guide
Publisher / Advertising Manager Dave Alexander dave@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com Editor Denise Keller editor@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com Director of Operations Brian Feist brian@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com
EDITORIAL INFORMATION
16 A Different Road Red Sky Ag
21 US Exports of Fresh Onions, Shallots Trade Trends
Onion World is interested in newsworthy material related to onion production and marketing. Contributions from all segments of the industry are welcome. Submit news releases, new product submissions, stories and photos via email to: editor@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com, or call (509) 697-9436.
ADVERTISING SALES For information on rates, mechanics, deadlines, list rental, direct mail, inserts or other information, call (208) 520-6461 or email: dave@onionworld.net
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.
Scientists involved in the Stop the Rot project practice the standardized procedures used for onion bacterial sample collection and processing during a workshop on Feb. 4 in Athens, Ga. See the story on page 8.
On the Cover Michael Hively, with Red Sky Ag, inspects yellow onions before they get repacked. See the story on page 16.
4
Onion World • July / August 2020
Departments 18 20 22 22
In the News Disease Quiz New Products Calendar
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 2020. 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.
LAYERS OF TO KEEP YOUR CROPS FRESH Y O U R C O M P L E T E O N I O N S T O R A G E. WITH CURVE STORAGE + AIREVERYWHERE FLOOR Turn-key storage systems that are engineered for maximum efficiency. That’s what to expect from Suberizer. As a proven industry leader in raw product storage, our commitment to innovation has revolutionized the way raw products are stored. Suberizer storage systems ensure optimum performance – minimizing loss, while maintaining quality, for a maximum return. When storage performance matters, turn to Suberizer.
suberizer.com |
|
MADE IN THE USA
Maggot Management
Seed Treatment Recommendations for Onion Maggot Control
By Erica Moretti and Brian Nault, Department of Entomology, Cornell AgriTech, Cornell University
W
hen selecting seed treatments for onion, it is important to consider what fungicides and insecticides will be most effective for protecting seedlings against the principal pathogens and insect pests. This article focuses on which insecticide options to consider for managing onion maggot (Delia antiqua), the number one early-season insect pest of onion (Fig. 1). Onion maggot is a severe pest of onion in northern temperate regions worldwide. In the Great Lakes region of North America, onion maggot has three generations over the growing season, but managing the first generation is the most crucial, as seedlings are at greatest risk for being killed. Larvae feed on the subterranean tissues of onion, entering through the basal plate, and a single larva can consume over 20 seedlings throughout its development. In heavily infested fields, damage to unprotected seedlings can exceed 90 percent, making effective management of this pest essential.
Management Considerations
Management of onion maggot is constrained by a number of factors. Crop
rotation can be extremely effective as long as onions are planted a mile away from the previous season’s onion fields or potential overwintering sites such as cull piles. However, this is rarely economically feasible or practical in muck cropping systems. Foliar insecticide sprays have been used to target flies, but this approach is not effective because flies rarely come in contact with lethal doses of insecticide residue. No insecticide rescue treatments exist once plants become infested. Naturally occurring populations of insect predators and other natural enemies of onion maggot do not occur in high enough abundance to reduce maggot populations. Finally, there are no onion maggot resistant cultivars of onion; all cultivars are equally susceptible to feeding. Given these limitations, insecticide use at planting is the most effective, practical and economically reasonable option for managing onion maggot. Insecticide seed treatments have many favorable attributes over insecticides applied in furrow at planting. For example, seed treatments are safer for
users to handle, there is no need for water tanks during planting, less pesticide active ingredient is applied per acre and a precise amount of insecticide is applied to each seed to protect the plant. Consequently, insecticide seed treatments have become the most popular method of protecting onion seedlings from onion maggot.
Seed Treatment Options
There are four seed treatment options currently available for protecting onions against onion maggot (Table 1). These options are also effective against a close relative of the onion maggot, the seedcorn maggot (Delia platura), which also can be a major problem in some fields in some years. Trigard (cyromazine) has been available since the late 1990s, while FarMore FI500 (spinosad, thiamethoxam and three fungicides), Regard (spinosad) and Sepresto (clothianidin and imidacloprid) have been available only within the past 10 years. Among these options, FarMore FI500 has been the most commonly used since it became available. However, concerns over onion maggot populations developing
Figure 1. Onion maggot damage in the field is seen here early in the season. Feeding by onion maggot larvae (photo B) on the belowground portion of the plant causes the leaves of the plant to become flaccid and limp aboveground (photo A).
A 6
Onion World • July / August 2020
B
resistance to FarMore FI500 have raised issues about using other options such as returning to Trigard. The big question was how does Trigard compare with FarMore FI500 for maggot control?
Table 1. Products available as commercial seed treatments that have activity against onion maggot
Product FarMore F1500 Regard SC1 Sepresto 75WS
Field Trials
Trigard continues to perform as well as FarMore FI500/Regard. In central and western New York in 2019, onion maggot damage was highly variable with some fields having substantial damage and others very little. In two of the highpressure fields, we conducted insecticide seed treatment efficacy trials that included currently available and labeled products. Results from those trials indicated that both Regard and Trigard were the best options. In 2019, both Regard and Trigard reduced damage from onion maggot by more than 50 percent compared to fungicide-only controls. And in two different trials, they performed equally as well (Fig. 2a, Fig. 2b). Regard alone performed as well as FarMore FI500, indicating that Cruiser (thiamethoxam) in the FI500 seed treatment is not providing a benefit (Fig. 2a). Substituting Trigard for Regard in the FarMore FI500 package was equally effective (Fig. 2b). Despite performing as well as Regard and Trigard in last year’s trial (Fig. 2a), Sepresto typically has not managed maggots very well and is not
Active Ingredient(s) thiamethoxam + spinosad2 spinosad clothianidin + imidacloprid cyromazine
Trigard OMC 1 2
Class (IRAC Group) Neonicotinoid (4A) + Spinosyn (5) Spinosyn (5) Neonicotinoid (4A) + Neonicotinoid (4A) Triazine (17)
Listed by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) for use in organic onion production Also includes three fungicides: azoxystrobin, fludioxonil, mefenoxam
recommended for many areas within the Great Lakes region, although it is used in Canada. Drench applications of Lorsban (chlorpyrifos) continued to be ineffective on its own for controlling onion maggot, as populations on most farms are resistant (Fig. 2a). Neither Sepresto nor Lorsban alone are recommended for managing moderate to high onion maggot infestations based on their performance in our research trials over many years.
Recommendations
Reliance on insecticide seed treatments is the best line of defense against maggots. There are few effective insecticide seed treatments commercially available, and those in the pipeline may or may not become commercialized. Repeated use of the same insecticide on a perennial basis is the perfect recipe for resistance to develop. Therefore,
preservation of the most effective options, Regard and Trigard, is essential. Because these products have two different modes of action (Regard is an IRAC Group 5 insecticide, while Trigard is a Group 17), the best way to conserve both is to alternate them on an annual basis to minimize exposure of maggot populations to the same insecticide class, even in lowpressure fields. Some ask if Trigard will be available in the future. Not long ago, Trigard was divested by Syngenta and acquired by Adama, which caused serious doubts that Trigard would continue to be available as an onion seed treatment option. While Trigard-treated onion seed was difficult to obtain for the 2020 season, it should be widely available and a very good option for the 2021 growing season. If FarMore FI500 or Regard was used in 2020, Trigard should be considered for 2021.
Figure 2. Efficacy of insecticides applied at planting to control onion maggot in commercial onion fields in Oswego County, New York, in 2019. With the exception of Lorsban, which was a drench treatment, all others are seed treatments. In Trial 1 (A) (n=5) all seeds were treated with penflufen and thiram for seedling disease control, and in Trial 2 (B) (n=5) all treatments included the FarMore F300 seed treatment package (Dynasty + Maxim + Apron); Regard + Cruiser* is equivalent to FarMore FI500. Bars in the same trial followed by the same letter are not significantly different, P> 0.05, Tukey’s HSD Test.
% Plants Killed
80
a
(A)
a
70
80
60
60
50
50
b
40
a
70
b
30
b
b
(B)
a
40 30
20
20
10
10
b
b
Regard + Cruiser*
Trigard + Cruiser
0
0
Funcide Fungicide only
Lorsban
Regard
Regard + Cruiser
Trigard
Sepresto
Fungicide only
Cruiser
Figure 2. Efficacy of insecticides applied at planting to control onion maggot in commercial onion fields OnionWorld.net in Oswego County, New York, in 2019. With the exception of Lorsban, which was a drench treatment, all
7
Stop the Rot!
National U.S. Team to Combat Bacterial Diseases of Onion with Fierce Collaboration
By Christy Hoepting, Cornell Vegetable Program, Cornell Cooperative Extension; and Lindsey du Toit, Department of Plant Pathology, Washington State University
W
hen Washington State University (WSU) plant pathologist and onion enthusiast, Dr. Lindsey du Toit, announced that she was going to lead a multi-state, multi-disciplinary, multimillion dollar project on bacterial bulb rot of onion, I said “Sign me up. I want to be on your team!” I have been an onion specialist with Cornell Cooperative Extension in New York for 20 years. During this time, I have experienced some pretty exciting breakthroughs in weed and disease management, but never for bacterial diseases. Bacterial bulb rot is the arch nemesis of U.S. onion production. This sentiment is echoed across the country, where bacterial pathogens of onion cause more than $60 million in losses annually to our $925 million, 140,000-acre industry. Losses can be particularly severe for stored bulbs as bacterial bulb rots typically develop in storage after all production costs have been incurred. In a preliminary pre-project survey of a sample of onion stakeholders, 72 percent were extremely or very concerned about challenges from bacterial diseases,
with 45 percent feeling poorly equipped to manage them. The goal of this new project is essentially to skew these numbers in the other direction.
Ambitious Team
The “Stop the Rot” project, officially titled “Combating onion bacterial diseases with pathogenomic tools and enhanced management strategies,” is funded by a grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) – Specialty Crops Research Initiative (SCRI). The project organizes 24 scientists in 10 diverse disciplines across seven onion growing regions in 12 states, as well as an international phytobacteriologist from South Africa. With fierce collaboration built on longstanding partnerships, we will research the complete system (host, pathogen and environment) of bacterial diseases of onion to develop practical, economically sound strategies for pathogen detection and management that will improve profitability and sustainability of onion production. The project duration is 2019-2022.
Stop the Rot is a multi-state, multi-discipline, multi-million dollar project that includes seven onion production regions in 12 states with scientists from eight disciplines and 13 onion industry stakeholder advisory panel (SAP) members. Columbia Basin 1,000 acres sweet 24,000 acres storage 5 scientists, 3 SAP
WSU
Treasure Valley 23,000 acres storage 2 scientists, 1 SAP
OSU UI
Rocky Mountains 4,000 acres storage 4 scientists, 1 SAP
Midwest 2,500 acres storage 1 scientist, 1 SAP
Cornell
MSU
PSU
Northeast 7,800 acres storage 2 scientists, 3 SAP
UCR NMSU Southwest 31,200 acres storage 28,700 acres non-storage 6 scientists, 2 SAP
UGA TAM
Southeast 11,200 acres sweet 3 scientists, 1 SAP
Grassroots Approach
Two years prior to the project getting funded, researchers and extension educators began meeting regularly with onion growers and seed company representatives to hash out specific issues and needs related to bacterial diseases. Stakeholders informed us they want to be able to predict bacterial bulb rot incidence, as this is often unknown as harvest approaches. In response, a computer scientist and data modeler were added to the team to mine copious amounts of data on crop production, microclimate and bacterial rots to develop models that will predict risks of bacterial diseases. This kind of information can help a grower decide whether to sell a crop immediately if there is a high risk of bulb rot or hold the crop for longer-term storage and a higher market price if there’s a low risk of bulb rot. Evaluation of injecting disinfectants into storages was also added to the project upon the request of stakeholders. Formally, the Stop the Rot project has 13 Stakeholder Advisory Panel (SAP) members that are integrated into all aspects of the project to ensure a grassroots approach to developing economically feasible strategies to manage onion bacterial diseases effectively in the “real onion world.” Most importantly, stakeholders provided $2,014,000 (24 percent) of the total $8.2 million budget for the project, or half of the third-party matching funds, via donations of time and resources. USDA-NIFA funds in the amount of $4,044,000 were awarded, with the remaining $2,186,000 made up of matching funds from collaborating universities.
Worldregions BuyersinGuide_Sept2018_Layout 1 9/25/2018 9:17 AM The Stop the Rot team, which represents seven onionOnion production 12 states with scientists from eight disciplines andPage onion1industry stakeholders, gathers in Athens, Ga., on Feb. 4.
Main Objectives
Our efforts in the Stop the Rot project consist of two main parts: a) characterizing bacterial pathogens of onion across the U.S. and b) developing effective management practices for onion growers. Objective A focuses on onion bacterial disease characterization – “know the enemy”: •Conduct a national onion bacterial disease survey and develop the National Onion Bacterial Strain Collection (NOBSC) •Evaluate onion bacterial pathogenomics •Develop onion bacterial disease detection tools •Develop onion screening protocols for evaluating resistance to bacterial pathogens The NOBSC and the phenotypic resistance screening methods developed by this team will, ultimately, provide effective tools for breeders to screen and develop onion cultivars with resistance to bacterial diseases. Bacterial bulb rots of onion are complex. Burkholderia, Pantoea, Enterobactor and Xanthomonas are the most common genera of bacteria causing diseases of onion in the U.S. However, they can cause very similar symptoms. Which genera and species are present, and the symptoms they cause, depends on the production region and season (Table 1). A single bulb can have dozens of bacterial species and even different strains of the same species, some of which may be harmless and others highly virulent on onion, a.k.a. “rotters.” Diagnosing the
Your Acres. Your Livelihood. Our Priority. Nampa, Idaho • HQ (208) 442-5251
Washington & Western Oregon (509) 551-4060
Lancaster & San Joaquin Valley (661) 397-5717
Skagit Valley, Washington (360) 941-7503
Desert Southwest (760) 398-2729
Florida, Georgia & The Carolinas (912) 585-8934
Colorado & New Mexico (970) 396-9728
Rio Grande Valley & West Texas (956) 618-5574
Idaho, East Oregon, Utah & Nevada (208) 890-4549
Winter Garden Texas (830) 278-5850
16155 North High Desert Street • Nampa, ID 83687 WWW.SEEDWAY.COM OnionWorld.net
9
Bacterial Diseases U.S. Onion Production Regions Where Bacterial Pathogens are Prevalent
Bacterial Pathogens
Diseases Caused
Burkholderia cepacia
Sour skin bulb rot
Burkholderia gladioli pv. allicola
Slippery skin bulb rot
Pantoea ananatis
Center rot bulb rot
Pantoea agglomerans
Bulb rots, and stalk & leaf necrosis
X
Enterobacter cloacae
Enterobacter bulb rot
X
Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. allii
Leaf blight
Pacific Northwest
South -west
Rocky Mtns
Mid west
North -east
South -east
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X X
X
X
X
Table 1. Common bacterial pathogens of onion, the diseases they cause and the U.S. production regions where the pathogens are prevalent
primary cause of bacterial rot in an onion bulb is a laborious process, from choosing which section of rotten bulb to sample, to selecting the type of media used to isolate the bacteria and deciding which molecular tests to use. Five labs given the same sample could, conceivably, get five different diagnoses. Labs involved in this project will use standardized procedures for every step of the way for every onion sample. Plants and bulbs will be sampled from
multiple fields and storage units three times a season in each of 12 states for three seasons – that’s a lot of rot! From these, approximately 1,000 bacterial strains will be stored permanently in a public National Onion Bacterial Strain Collection (NOBSC), each one characterized on the basis of its DNA fingerprint and the ability to cause onion rot. This will provide an invaluable resource for future research on onion bacterial diseases.
We will sort the good guys from the bad guys. Pathogenomics is a means of sorting out which strains of bacteria cause disease (pathogenic or virulent) from those that are harmless (non-pathogenic) based on the genetic fingerprints of the strains. This is a relatively new frontier in bacterial diseases of onion. It is a crucial part of the Stop the Rot project because it will yield fast and accurate diagnostic tools that complement the current laborious and less accurate methods which have been a barrier to effective management of onion bacterial diseases. Essentially, pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacterial strains will be sorted through a series of physical tests and close examination of their DNA sequences. With this information, molecular diagnostic tools will be developed, similar to the way in which DNA fingerprinting is used in forensic science to “identify the killer.” Developing the DNA fingerprints is a fairly standard research method now, but designing the molecular diagnostic tools entails more complicated research. We will start with Pantoea ananatis, followed
!
NEW
Pocket Pitter
Edp Electro-bagger model EB 2218 DF
Ag Engineering
This model now has the ability to do bags as well as cartons with the new touch screen controls. It also comes with pneumatic bag clamps as standard equipment.
For more information visit
chinookequipment.com or call 800-219-2245 or 208-331-1126
10
Onion World • July / August 2020
509-582-8900 www.DammerDiker.com
by P. agglomerans, based on preliminary work accomplished by bacteriologists on our team. The same approach may be used for other bacterial species. These new tools will help us identify inoculum sources, such as infested soil, water and weed hosts, and develop reliable phenotypic screening methods to identify varietal resistance to bacterial diseases. Objective B focuses on management practices for onion bacterial diseases: •Irrigation management (amount and frequency, tapering and ceasing irrigation) •Fertility management with an emphasis on nitrogen (amount and timing, interaction with irrigation) •Pesticide programs (efficacy of copper bactericides, sanitizers, biologicals, plant defense activators) •Cultural management (undercutting, rolling tops and timing of topping for field curing) •Post-harvest management (efficacy of postharvest curing and desiccants or sanitizers injected into storage units) •Bacterial disease modeling Specific aspects of managing onion bacterial diseases investigated across the U.S. will be prioritized based on regional practices and constraints and on stakeholder priorities. Trial design and research protocols will be refined each year based on stakeholder feedback. With field trials carried out in seven regions on common objectives and treatments each year for three seasons, we will identify the most important practices that help control bacterial pathogens and will integrate these into effective regional management programs for bacterial rots. Economic assessments will be made every step of the way to ensure that growers have practical and cost-effective tools to solve bacterial diseases in onion production.
Extension Resources Results and resources developed during this project will be made available publicly at www.alliumnet.com/projects/stop-the-rot including: • Research Summary Highlights: Find key results summarized for trials across seven onion production regions such as the effects of nitrogen application rates on bacterial bulb rots. • Quick Guides: Look up the percentage of trials in which a particular product had efficacy against bacterial diseases and how effective it was in different regions. • Interactive Rot Map: Click on a state/region to view bacterial survey results. • Videos: View diagnoses and demonstrations of bulb rots, diagnostic tools and management practices. Bulb Rot Diagnostic Video A four-minute video distinguishing bacterial bulb rot from other lookalike diseases and disorders is in the works. English and Spanish versions are coming soon! We Welcome Your Feedback! To ensure our work is grounded in the real world of onion production, please take our bulb rot survey now to share your perspective and needs. Visit www.bit.ly/3gaZwDH.
PRECISION VACUUM PLANTERS
Tਈਅ ਐਁਔਅ ਕਓਅ ਂਙ ਓਕਃਃਅਓਓਆਕ ਏਉਏ ਇਏਗਅਓ ਉ ਔਈਅ Wਅਓਔਅ Uਉਔਅ Sਔਁਔਅਓ ਁ Cਁਁਁ ਆਏ ਏਖਅ 25 ਙਅਁਓ 3 Modules - 24 Lines Model # AI-640-SNT Shown
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.
Authors’ note: This work is supported by the Specialty Crops Research Initiative Award 2019-51181-30013 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
13477 Benson Ave. • Chino, CA 91710 Ph: 800.833.3023 • Fax: 909.548.4747 www.gearmore.com
Onion World Ad
OnionWorld.net
11
Harvest Essentials Agri-Stor Companies • www.agri-stor.com Agri-Star Control Panel
Agri-Stor Companies helps growers take control of their onion storage with Gellert’s Agri-Star Control Panel. Since 1964, Agri-Stor has designed and sold thousands of Agri-Star panels for a wide range of post-harvest products. Through these years of application experience and university-based research, Agri-Stor Companies has developed its most user-friendly, advanced control panel yet. Features include a full-color, interactive touchscreen, easy-to-understand programming and internet capabilities with an intuitive app. Fully adaptable to growers’ onion storages, the Agri-Star panel can handle everything including curing mode, burners, humidity, refrigeration, airflow, temperature, carbon dioxide levels, heat and lights. When growers match the Agri-Star panel with Gellert’s climate control equipment, their onions are wrapped in the perfect climate, extending their life and quality.
Chinook Equipment, Inc. • www.chinookequipment.com edp Electro-bagger
The new Electro-bagger from edp Australia, model EB-2218-DF, is currently available in stock. The machine has new control features on the touchscreen such as bag counters for each of the two preset programs. Users can adjust machine and belt speeds as well as monitor weight averages. The new model also has pneumatic bag clamps and the ability to do bags or cartons with optional carton holders. A photo eye also can be used when bagging to ensure the belts won’t run without a bag in place.
Greentronics • www.greentronics.com RiteTrace
Greentronics has added load-by-load field-to-storage tracking to its RiteYield root crop yield monitor product. The new product, RiteTrace, is designed to automate harvest and storage data recording. This provides onion growers with a wide range of reports as well as field and 3D storage maps detailing where each load originated and is stored. Maps allow growers to link areas in storages and fields to better understand quality issues and improve crop management discussions and communications with buyers and processors. Reports include yields by variety and field, and loads by field, storage and truck. Data points are date/time stamped, and maps and reports work well with GAP compliance. Greentronics offers yield data integration with John Deere GS3 2630 and Trimble FMx and TMx monitors, allowing operators to view yield maps in real time. Yield maps offer visual insights to yield variability across fields and farms. Data are useful in calculating nutrient removal and generating variable rate application prescription maps. from FIELD
to TRUCK
to DETAILED MAPS
to STORAGE
IPL Macro • www.iplmacro.com Plastic Bins
IPL Macro’s farm-to-harvest containers and totes are specifically designed to increase efficiency and reduce waste for growers and packers. Macro specializes in heavy-duty bulk containers and totes that can withstand the daily pounding that harvesting containers typically receive, while carefully protecting the vegetables inside. The highly engineered bins protect produce and reduce damage in the field and during transport. Macro containers have smooth, nonporous surfaces that are easy to sanitize and won’t trap debris, breed bacteria or absorb chemicals. Plastic bins are lightweight and have consistent tare weights, as they do not absorb liquid. Macro’s plastic bins are HACCP and GAP compliant and FDA approved. Rounded corners and smooth interior reduce the risk of product scuffs, cuts and abrasions. Ventilation slots throughout the bins improve airflow, and heat absorption is reduced, which helps keep produce cool and increases the shelf life and quality.
12
Onion World • July / August 2020
Lee Shuknecht & Sons, Inc. • www.shuknecht.com SP-132 Onion Harvester
Lee Shuknecht & Sons, Inc.’s SP-132 is a self-propelled two-bed harvester that eliminates windrowing while simultaneously direct loading two beds, for a total production width of 132 inches using 47-inch chains. This low-maintenance mechanical harvester provides the highest percentage of topping of all Shuknecht’s onion harvesters while it harvests two to three tons per minute. Powered by a standard 190-hp Cummins engine, the solo operator seated in an air conditioned cab has complete control over blower speed, primary and rear elevator speeds, cutter bar speed and height and ground speed. The two-bed harvester features a 4-foot high capacity boom and easily controlled front pickup elevators with spring-assist floats. Available options include a moveable 4- or 5-foot dipper, rotating cab, stainless blower housing liners and a whopping 240-hp engine. Digital readouts for the blower, primary chain and ground speed can be included, as well as hydraulic adjustment front elevator gauge wheels. Ground sync primary chain control, a posi-traction four-wheel-drive system and hydraulic trash chain drive can all be built into the SP-132. The company also custom manufactures pull-behind models with the same quality and topping system to accommodate smaller onion growers.
SYMACH • www.symach.nl/en/applications/5/onions.html Symach Rotax Palletizing Head
Symach introduces the Rotax, a new palletizing gripper head design to supplement the company’s existing lineup of machine features. This new design enables two onion filling machines to feed into one palletizing machine, saving customers additional machinery expense and floor space. The Rotax palletizing head features a four-way design, allowing bags to be fed in no matter the existing head position, meaning the palletizing bucket doesn’t have to return to the home position to receive the next bag of onions. Current Symach bag palletizing machines can stack up to 36 bags per minute (bpm); the Rotax head increases that rate to 46 bpm, a 25 percent gain. Symach designs and builds bag palletizing solutions to suit customers’ needs. The company manufactures everything from pallet dispensers to high-speed wrapping systems, all custom designed to customer requirements.
Top Air • www.topair.ag Onion Topper Loader
The Top Air Onion Topper Loader continues to be a harvester of choice for growers around the world because of its gentle handling, superior removal of dirt/debris, and industry leading efficiency and reliability. It is available in one-, two-, three- and four-bed models with a variety of bed width configurations and options to fit operations of all sizes. The XT (extra tall) models deliver high capacity while virtually eliminating bruising caused by rollback on the discharge elevator thanks to the tall profile.
THE ONION PODCAST.COM Sponsored by:
OnionWorld.net
13
Harvest Essentials Turbo Top • www.turbotopharvester.com TT-248 Turbo Top Harvester
Turbo Top’s TT-248 is a self-propelled two-bed onion harvester. Green onions are one of Turbo Top’s specialties, allowing growers to start harvest earlier and control curing. Turbo Top is capable of day and night harvest and can work through the toughest conditions. The TT-248 has dual 48-inch wide pickup elevators for a total harvest pickup width of 150 inches, allowing onions to be picked up how they are grown without windrowing to reduce damage. TT-248 is powered by a 328-hp FPT Tier IV Final Package engine. It has infinite cab control of fan speed, primary chain speed, ground speed, load boom speed/ movement, cutter bar height and front elevator depth. It also features an exclusive large topping area to eliminate weeds/ debris and allow even the greenest tops to be sorted before topping. Turbo Top comes in different models and has many options to fit growers’ needs.
Univerco • www.univerco.com Windrower for Short-day Onions
Having built onion windrowers since 1988, Univerco has now improved the design to make it even gentler for short-day and sweet onions. This model still has a hydraulic driven rotating bar in front of the belt to help uproot the onions and get them easily on the belt, but the rear drop has been reduced to a minimum so the onions fall smoothly on top of a flat bed packed by the rear roller. The belt is gearbox driven to be able to run it at lower speed, again to minimize damage to the onions in any variety or soil conditions. This also makes it easily compatible with any tractor. This model is available in one- and three-row versions.
Verbruggen • www.verbruggen-palletizing.com Palletizing Solutions
Verbruggen has more than 30 years of experience in stacking onions and other agricultural products. A team of engineers is continually innovating and developing the company’s machines and software, allowing Verbruggen to offer effective palletizing solutions for agricultural products. Machines can stack bags of onions in the range of 5 pounds to 120 pounds and offer high flexibility for future changes in product sizes and patterns. Systems can palletize single bags, bags in boxes and boxes/crates and can perfectly stable stack to the height of 8 feet. Machinery includes an easy-to-use operator station and is low maintenance for high up time. The company offers regionally based sales and service, as well as remotemonitored support.
TURNING RAW IDEAS INTO STAINLESS STEEL SOLUTIONS CMI is an expert at taking a vision - and engineering it to work at production speed. Whether onions need to be peeled, or a complete processing line developed, CMI delivers its magic in stainless steel.
Never Miss An Issue! OnionWorld.net/subscribe Services Provided:
www.cmiequip-eng.com
320-864-5894 14
Onion World • July / August 2020
Millwright Crane Services 3D Scanning & Design Custom Fabrication Certified Welders
509-368-9666
CutAboveEnterprise.com
ONION STORAGE
STEEL BUILDINGS
We’d like to invite you to the National Onion Association’s FIRST online summer auction!
Please consider donating or bidding on our items!
Items accepted through July 10
Go to: bookerauction.com Bidding starts July 20; closes July 30
CUSTOM STEEL BUILDINGS & COMPONENTS
PACIFIC BUILDING SYSTEMS ENGINEERED & MANUFACTURED IN OREGON SINCE 1962 • TEMPERATURE CONTROL • HUMIDITY CONTROL • VENTILATION • LOADING RATE • BULK OR PALLET STORAGE DESIGN
All proceeds go directly toward the NOA promotions program, which is used to promote onions throughout the country.
REQUEST A QUOTE 1-800-727-7844
The NOA promotions program is funded only by this fundraiser, an annual raffle, and the generous donations of our members.
PBSBUILDINGS.COM
Exploring nature never stops PIRATE
ALISON
TANIA
RED SENSATION
Main season short day sweet granex developed for the Vidalia market. Attractive lighter colored skin. Uniform firm bulbs with high yielding deeper granex shape. High percentage of jumbos. Widely adapted across many short day regions.
Later maturing short day granex variety. Upright tops. Deeper high yielding granex shape. Bolting resistance and very uniform. Works well for the later season slot in Vidalia.
New short day yellow granex introduction. Strong upright healthy tops with great plant habit. Early main season maturity. High yielding deeper granex shape, strong root system and firm bulbs. Seed available for 2020.
Early maturing grano red. Strong healthy tops. Excellent bulb firmness and color. Widely adapted across short day growing regions.
BEJO SEEDS INC. (MAIN OFFICE) 1972 Silver Spur Place Oceano, CA 93445 T| 805-473-2199 E| info@bejoseeds.com
bejoseeds.com
OnionWorld.net
15
A Different Road Story and photos by Dave Alexander, Publisher
T
he main road through Vidalia, Georgia, is filled with signs that remind you that you are in the sweet onion city. There are other sweet onion options, of course, as there are other communities that embrace and celebrate alliums. But in Vidalia, you can get a room at the Onion Inn, work out at Sweet Onion Fitness and get a manicure at Sweet Nails. Even the local bank incorporates an onion into its logo. Vidalia is all about onions. The city is just part of a 20-county area in southern Georgia where growers can officially call their onion crop Vidalia Sweets. The sweetness is due to a combination of mild weather and low-sulfur soil.
Vidalia, Ga., bills itself as the “Sweet Onion City.”
Paving the Road
Michael Hively’s road to the Vidalia region was a different one than most growers take. In an industry that often sees farms handed down from generation to generation, Hively bought a farm in 2012 and started growing onions. Although he’s a relative newcomer to farming, Hively is a produce veteran. He worked in the financial and operational side of the industry since graduating college in 1982. Hively went to work for a couple different vegetable packer/shippers in Florida before he and his wife, Cindy, started Red Sky Ag and began growing sweet onions in 2012. The Hivelys grow and pack their onions in Claxton, Georgia, 30 miles and two counties away from the town of Vidalia but smack dab in the middle of the Vidalia growing region. That first year, Red Sky grew 67 acres of onions. Hively then bought another farm and a small packing shed in 2015, before eventually building a completely new and modern packing facility in 2017.
Imported onions get dumped into the sorter at the Hively packing shed.
The Fast Lane
The Hively farm grows 200 acres of onions, including reds, whites and Vidalias, and another 200 acres of watermelons. Hively not only grows but packs onions for smaller growers in the area without equipment and also imports and packs Peruvian and Mexican onions. The imports allow Hively to provide product to customers 52 weeks a year and also to keep employees working all year in the shed so that he doesn’t have to employ seasonal workers. The imported onions are brought into the U.S. by container in 50-pound bags by Michael Cutler Company. Hively bins, dries and re-packs them in Claxton. Peruvians are worked September through March. The Mexican onions come in mid-February and usually last until Vidalias start packing, so there is overlap between the imports. Early spring is a busy time at Red Sky Ag, but the grower still finds time to do things right.
The Right Road
Cindy Hively and daughter Heather Kinlaw are constantly focused on doing things right, especially when it comes to food safety. Both women are in charge of good manufacturing practices for Red Sky. Every day is spent working on food safety at some point, whether it is documentation, training employees or quality assurance.
16
Onion World • July / August 2020
The hard work has paid off, as the farm has earned a food safety rating as high as 98 percent. Red Sky has had a Prima certification for five years. “Getting a 98 percent score is very hard to do. All the daily and monthly paperwork must be done, and we have to make sure everyone is trained and knows what they need to do,” Kinlaw says.
Potholes
The Hivelys made the jump into growing because of Michael’s produce experience. They are doing well now, but he says it was tough starting out. “It’s tough to get into agriculture if you are not a family farm or if the farm is not being passed down through generations,” Hively says. “I think the biggest issue we have in our industry is we can’t go to the bank and tell them what we are going to get paid for the crop. Mother Nature works against us sometimes, and we can’t tell the bank what the open market will be.” The grower is concerned about the graying of the American farmer and hopes that younger farmers can somehow get involved. It can be a difficult thing to do for someone straight out of college. Banks are strict and loans are hard to get for working capital because of the risk involved and a lack of collateral. “A bank does not want to own an onion grader,” Hively says. Even if funding challenges can be overcome, he cautions you have to know the right people to market your product and get it to the end user.
Kerian
Pictured from left are Michael Hively, Cindy Hively, Heather Kinlaw and Steven Kinlaw. The Hivelys and Kinlaws operate Red Sky Ag.
“We are blessed to have the people that we do marketing our products,” he says.
Clear Road Ahead
Despite the hardships and difficulties he had getting to this point, Hively says agriculture is a rewarding career. “It is a pleasure working for yourself, being outside and starting with a seed that ends up an onion in a box,” he says. The future plan at Red Sky Ag is for Heather and her husband, Steven, to take over the operation. When that happens, as second-generation farmers, they will have an easier road in Vidalia.
SPEED SIZER
“A more gentle way to size your onions quickly and accurately.”
Proven for use in: Whites, Reds, Golds, Browns, Spanish, Pearl Onions & More Onion Sizing Video Now Available:
www.kerian.com
GENTLE: Separates without damaging onions ACCURATE: Precisely grades onions of all shapes and varieties FAST: Thirteen standard models custom-designed to meet your needs sort from 1000 lb/hr to 80,000 lb/hr SIMPLE: Effective but simple design provides a rugged, low cost, low maintenance machine at a high value to our customers. It can even be used in the field!
KERIAN MACHINES INC. 1709 Hwy 81 S, PO Box 311, Grafton, ND USA 58237
701-352-0480 • sales@kerian.com Fax 701-352-3776
OnionWorld.net
17
In the News
NOA Holds Virtual Fundraising Auction
The National Onion Association’s (NOA) summer convention, scheduled for July in Nashville, Tennessee, has joined the long list of events canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. This is the first time in the NOA’s history that the summer convention has been cancelled. However, the organization is still inviting the industry to participate in its annual summer auction – this year, online. Booker Auction Company will run the NOA auction online this year, allowing more people to get involved and support the NOA’s national promotions of onions. The last day to bid will be July 30 at www.bookerauction.com. Look for the NOA logo to register to bid. The NOA holds two fundraisers every year, which make up the bulk of its promotions budget. This year, the pandemic and other issues have strained many onion crops and farmers’ budgets. Organizers hope an online auction will cast a wider net for more participants. But the NOA also needs more donations for the auction, with suggestions including gift baskets, travel packages, outdoor adventures, movie ticket subscriptions and electric bicycles. To donate items you feel could reach a general audience and fetch a great price, contact the NOA’s René Hardwick at (970) 518-6333 by July 10. The NOA’s annual winter meeting in Bermuda in December is still on as of now. The organization will plan to meet in Nashville next summer.
An acrylic 16”x20" painting by Sandon Wixom, donated by Onion World, is up for auction.
Fox Packaging Joins Sustainability Programs
ASA-LIFT high quality onion harvesting equipment We produce one and three bed onion toppers/windrowers. And different models of onion harvesters. Get the machine suited for your demands - www.asa-lift.com New 2019 oniontopper
WORLD CLASS VEGETABLE HARVESTERS FOR YOUR BUSINESS
18
ASA-LIFT w. Miller Farms Hancock, WI. (715) 249-5160 pmillerfarms@gmail.com
Onion World • July / August 2020
Fox Packaging has become a member of two sustainability programs, the Sustainable Packaging Coalition and How2Recyle, a standardized labeling system to communicate recycling instructions to the public. Fox Packaging says these alliances highlight the company’s commitment to transparency in its product offerings and overall sustainability efforts. Currently, the majority of Fox Packaging’s products are recyclable through in-store drop-off programs, and the company continues its efforts in research and development for sustainable solutions in materials and packaging design.
Seminis Moves Field Event Online
Seminis Vegetable Seeds, Inc. has reinvented its Onion Idea Exchange (iX) event, which was to take place in Texas in midApril. With the coronavirus pandemic canceling events this spring, the company is bringing the innovation and insights planned for the event to a new website www.onionexperience. com. The site, which launched in May, takes growers through the Texas onion fields and showcases innovations in crop protection, seed treatments, agricultural research, resource management and mechanical innovation. The site covers market trends, technologies from Seminis partners and highlights from the current Seminis onion portfolio.
Expect More Than Great Seed
OnionWorld.net
19
Disease Quiz
By Bhabesh Dutta, Associate Professor and Vegetable Disease Specialist, University of Georgia & Ron Gitaitis, Professor Emeritus, Phytobacteriologist, University of Georgia
Diseases of onion can be difficult to distinguish. But the more familiar you are with the symptoms, the easier they become to recognize. On this page are five photos of diseases of onion, along with some key information about each. Can you identify the disease?
1
The symptoms of this disease, the color of a ripe banana, are mainly due to a toxin produced by an ice-nucleating bacterium, and remission of symptoms frequently occurs under higher temperatures. This disease has only been reported from Georgia and prevalent during the cooler months of January and February.
2
Bacteria causing this post-harvest disease produce a vinegary odor, primarily rot outer scales of the bulb and survive in the soil. This disease is prevalent in all onion growing regions of the U.S., and management is primarily based on crop rotation and copper-based spray.
3
This disease is caused by a distinctively yellow, gram-negative, aerobic bacterium that is primarily seed-borne. Initial symptoms are small, chlorotic spots or lens-shaped lesions with water-soaked margins. Lesions enlarge into long chlorotic streaks and large greasy, water-soaked areas. Severe infection can result in reduced bulb size.
4
This disease is characterized by a variety of symptoms with one of the most distinctive being a collapse of leaf tissue displaying protruding veins and dark green, almost black discoloration. It causes a soft rot in the bulb, which is fluorescent under UV light. The disease is favored by cool and wet conditions. The primary source of inoculum for this disease is weeds.
5
This bacterial disease derives its name from the location where symptoms occur on the leaves and in the bulb. The bacterium can survive on weeds, in seed and plant debris, and can be transmitted by thrips.
1 Photo courtesy Ronald D. Gitaitis, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org
2 Photo courtesy David B. Langston, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org
3 Photo courtesy Howard F. Schwartz, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org
Answers on page 22
Photo courtesy Ronald D. Gitaitis, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org
Photo courtesy Ronald D. Gitaitis, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org
4 20
Onion World • July / August 2020
5
Trade Trends US Exports of Fresh Onions, Shallots
By Mark Wocial, Certified Global Business Professional, Wocial & Associates LLC
U.S.
exports of fresh onions and Canada and Mexico has been growing. Last 2017. Exports rebounded slightly in the shallots rebounded in the last year, these two countries accounted for 92 past two years, up to 4,500 MT in 2019, two years after reaching a low point in percent of all U.S. fresh onion exports by and were valued at $1.9 million. Shipments U.S. exports of fresh onions and shallots 2017. Last year, the U.S. exported 264,000 value and 88 percent by volume. to Panama showed an upward trend and metric tons (MT) of fresh onions and In 2019, the most important reported 4,600 MT in 2019, valued at $1.8 300 smaller 264 243 237 shallots, valued at $219 million. export markets included Taiwan, million. 250 219 218 Canada remained the dominant export Argentina, Japan, Panama, the Bahamas Last year, the Bahamas was the seventh 184 179 200to Taiwan 164 export destination with 1,500 MT, market, followed by Mexico. In 2019, and Hong Kong. Shipments largest exports to Canada reached 187,000 MT, showed a declining trend 150 in the past three valued at $1.2 million, followed by Hong valued at $177 million. The average value years and fell from 19,000100 MT in 2016 to Kong with shipments of 975 MT, valued at per metric ton of U.S. exports to Canada 8,000 MT in 2019, valued at $3 million. $0.9 million. increased to $948. U.S. exports of fresh Last year, U.S. fresh onions50 were exported Overall, U.S. fresh onions and shallots onions to Mexico showed strong growth to Argentina for the first time since 2001. were exported to 49 countries in 2019. 0 in the last three years and increased from With exports at 4,900 MT, valued at2016 $2 2017 2018 2019 Author’s note: This information is based 17,000 MT in 2016 to 45,000 MT in million, Argentina became the fourth USD million x 1000 on xthe author’s MT analysis of the international 2019, valued at almost $24 million. The largest export market. average value per metric ton was $528. After many years of declines, exports to trade data collected by the U.S. Census The combined market share of exports to Japan reached a low point of 2,500 MT in Bureau Foreign Trade Division. U.S. exports of fresh onions and shallots to U.S. exports of fresh onions and shallots U.S. exports of fresh onions and shallots U.S. exports of freshMexico onions and shallots to Mexico 300
237
250 200
184
243
218 164
264
219
179
50 40
150
30
100
20
50
10
0
2016
2017 USD x million
2018
2019
45
0
32 24
23 17 8
2016
14
2017
USD x million
MT x 1000
16
2018
2019
MT x 1000
U.S. exports of fresh onions and shallots to Mexico 50
45
40
32
30 17
20 10 0
24
23 8
14
16
For More Details Ask For 2016
2017
USD x million
2018
MT x 1000
2019
Lee L. Shuknecht Dale Shuknecht Matt Geissler
Email turbotop@lmspecfab.com
585.283.4847
OnionWorld.net
21
New Products
American Takii Trials New Variety
American Takii’s newest onion variety, Rio del Sol, is moving closer to market. The company has acre trials out now and expects the variety to move a lot more next season. Seed will be available. Rio del Sol is a short-day Grano-type onion with sizing mostly in the colossal to super colossal range with bulbs measuring about 3.5 to 4 inches and larger. The variety is highly adaptable and has mid-late maturity. It features strong tops, vigorous roots and medium necks, along with high field resistance to pink root, according to American Takii. The company adds that bulbs are firm with good skin retention, and center cuts are 85 percent and higher depending on the growing region. Visit www.takii.com.
MUCKLAND ONION FARM EQUIPMENT COMPLETE FULL LINE DISPERSAL
AREA SALES SPECIALISTS: Travis Whitney (WA, OR, CO) (509) 591-2948 Sarah Beaver (OR, ID) (208) 550-5565 Brett Ross (OR, ID, UT) (208) 504-9154 Grant Aitken (CA, NV) (209) 712-3665 Emily Clay (CA, AZ) (530) 388-0477
www.nunhemsusa.com
TRACTORS/TRUCKS/ SPECIALITY EQUIPMENT/ 48 INCH PACKING LINE/BOXES Saturday August 1st @ 9:30 a.m. Oswego (Oswego CO.) New York Between Rochester and Syracuse
This is a complete dispersal of well, maintained equipment and accessories used on Muckland! Watch our Webpage for Complete List/Pictures:
www.pirrunginc.com PIRRUNG AUCTIONEERS, INC. PHONE: 585-728-2520 FAX: 585-728-3378
E-mail to: PirrungAuctioneers@frontier.com 22
Onion World • July / August 2020
Distributor Brings BioPesticide to US Market
Kemin Crop Technologies is partnering with Laboratoire M2, a Canada-based technology and science company, to distribute Thymox Control, a thyme-oilbased bio-pesticide, in the U.S. Thymox Control is a broad-spectrum, contact fungicide-bactericide concentrate designed with Laboratoire M2’s nanoemulsion technology. According to the company, Thymox Control’s formula uses the antimicrobial power of thyme oil’s active ingredient to control fungal and bacterial plant pathogens including powdery mildew and gray mold via cell membrane disruption. The product has no re-entry interval, a zero-day pre-harvest interval and no maximal residue limit. Visit www.thymox.com.
Calendar Aug. 26
Summer Onion Show Wilder, Idaho www.crookham.com
Aug. 27
WSU Onion Field Day CSS Farms, Pasco, Wash. Tim Waters, (509) 545-3511 or twaters@wsu.edu
Oct. 15-17
PMA Fresh Summit Convention and Expo Dallas www.freshsummit.com Editor’s note: All information was correct at presstime. Please contact event organizers to check for possible changes.
Disease Quiz Answers From page 20
1. Yellow bud of onion 2. Sour skin of onion 3. Xanthomonas leaf blight or bacterial blight of onion 4. Bacterial streak and bulb rot of onion 5. Center rot of onion
Protection for Your Onions
STOP
Downy Mildew and Purple Blotch before they start! Now from
Send Orders To
customerservice @ gowanco.com
1.800.833.5720
Talk to a local Gowan Sales Professional
GOWANCO.COM ReasonÂŽ is a registered trademark used under license by Gowan Company, L.L.C. Always read and follow label directions.
Advertiser Index Hotlinks Click on the Advertiser to Jump Straight to Their Ad
ONION SEED
EQUIPMENT
American Takii
Ag Engineering
Bejo Seeds Inc.
Asa-Lift
Crookham
Chinook Equipment, Inc.
Gowan
Clearwater Supply, Inc.
Nunhems
CMI Equipment & Engineering Co.
Seedway
Cut Above Enterprise, Inc.
Seminis
Gearmore Inc.
CROP INPUTS
Kerian Machines, Inc.
Corteva
IPL Macro L&M Specialty Fabrication Redwood Empire Awning Company
MISCELLANEOUS
Top Air
National Onion Association
STORAGE
Pirrung Auctioneers
Pacific Building Systems
TheOnionPodcast.com
Suberizer