Onion World July/August 2022

ONION WORLD Voice of the Industry • OnionWorld.net

On the Cutting Edge W.R. Johnson & Sons

Advertiser Index Agri-Stor ............................. 13 American Takii ...................... 5 Bejo .................................... 21 Carbon Robotics ................... 9 Chinook Equipment ............ 15 Clearwater Supply .............. 19 CMI ..................................... 11 Crookham ........................... 23 Gearmore ........................... 24 Gowan Seed ....................... 26 John F. Stanbaugh ............... 19 Kerian ................................. 28 L&M ...................................... 2 Nicholson............................ 27 Nunhems ............................ 19 Redwood Empire ................ 14 Rietveld .............................. 31 Seedway ............................. 11 Teleos Ag .............................. 3 TheOnionPodcast.com Sponsored by Novasource .. 13 Top Air ................................ 32 Vegetables by Bayer ........... 29 Verbruggen ......................... 12 Volm ................................... 25

Boise or Bust Harvest Essentials Promises and Pitfalls Novel Species of Pathogenic Bacteria

July/August 2022

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

ONION WORLD Volume 38, Number 5

JULY/AUGUST 2022

PO Box 333 Roberts, Idaho 83444 Telephone: (208) 520-6461 Circulation: (503) 724-3581

OnionWorld.net ONION WORLD CONTACTS

6 On the Cutting Edge

Editor Denise Keller editor@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com

10 Promises and Pitfalls

Publisher / Advertising Manager Dave Alexander dave@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com

16 Boise or Bust

Director of Operations Brian Feist brian@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com

W.R. Johnson & Sons

Subsurface Drip Irrigation in Desert Processed Onions National Onion Association Summer Convention Preview

20 Harvest Essentials Buyers' Guide

24 Researchers Identify Novel Species of Pathogenic Bacteria of Onion

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.

ADVERTISING SALES For information on rates, mechanics, deadlines, list rental, direct mail, inserts or other information, call (208) 520-6461 or email: dave@onionworld.net

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Graduate student Bed Prakash Bhatta (left) and Manzeal Khanal, research associate with Texas A&M Research, did much of the lab work related to initially isolating and identifying the novel onion bacterium Pseudomonas uvaldensis sp. nov. Learn how the researchers discovered a new species of pathogenic bacteria of onion on page 24.

Photo courtesy AgriLife Today

ON THE COVER

Carzalia Valley Produce, a subsidiary of W.R. Johnson & Sons, packs 1 million 50-pound bags of onions each year. Find out what innovative equipment the company is using in the field on page 6.

4

Onion World • July / August 2022

DEPARTMENTS 18... Onion Quiz 19... In the News 28... Calendar 30... From the NOA 30... Advertiser Index

Subscribe online at: www.OnionWorld.net/subscribe 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 0892-578X), is published eight times a year and mailed under a standard rate mailing permit at Idaho Falls, Idaho and at additional mailing offices.

Produced by Columbia Media Group PO Box 333, Roberts, ID, 83444.

Copyright 2022. 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.

On the Cutting Edge Story by Denise Keller, Editor Photos courtesy W.R. Johnson & Sons

A windrower prepares Somerset onions for harvest at W.R. Johnson & Sons in Columbus, N.M.

6

Onion World • July / August 2022

F

arming in a harsh environment and facing higher production costs calls for innovation and improved efficiency.

Luckily, this comes naturally for onion grower James Johnson. A fourthgeneration New Mexico farmer, Johnson is always on the lookout for a better way to grow a crop.

“I don’t like being in a rut. Ruts don’t fit me well,” the grower says.

His willingness to try new things explains the autonomous weeding prototype that has been tending his onion fields the last few years.

Johnson, a managing member of W.R. Johnson & Sons and vice president of Carzalia Valley Produce, has been working with Carbon Robotics to test its laserweeding robot. The partnership began in 2018 when the startup company contacted Johnson for photos and video of onion fields to use in building vision software to differentiate between onions and weeds. After coming out with a prototype of its autonomous laserweeder, the company began beta testing it in Oregon in the summer of 2019 and at Johnson’s farm in Columbus, New Mexico, that fall through the following spring.

Since that time, Johnson has watched the product undergo intensive development. A team of as many as eight

A crew harvests Somerset onions into bins. Photo courtesy Kris Crookham, Crookham Company

engineers has set up shop on the farm in order to see firsthand how the machine operates in various conditions such as wet ground, furrows and different soil types and to learn more about weed growth.

“My bet was on the development team because I had spent solid days, weeks and months with them,” Johnson recalls.

“There was no question in my mind that these guys were going to make it work because I had seen that they kept advancing every day.”

The team took its testing efforts to

eastern Washington in the spring of 2021 and returned to Johnson’s farm that fall.

“It was amazing to see the change that had happened while they were gone.

It’s like watching your kids grow up.

You see them every day and you don’t think they’ve grown much. But Grandpa and Grandma who only see them every six months are astounded,” Johnson explains. “It blew me away how much they had advanced on the software and implementation and the workings of this machine.”

James Johnson farms with his sons, Walker and T.J., and his father, Bill, at W.R. Johnson & Sons in Columbus, N.M. Pictured from left are Walker Johnson, James Johnson, T.J. Johnson and Bill Johnson.

OnionWorld.net

7

W.R. JOHNSON & SONS Streamlining Operations

Unlike the autonomous prototypes, the 2022 commercial version of the laserweeder is a tractor-pulled implement, meeting state laws that prohibit unassisted autonomy, according to Johnson. The grower is waiting on delivery of his own unit for use in his 500 acres of onions.

Currently, weed control in his conventional onion fields consists of mechanical cultivation, herbicide application and hand weeding. The hand weeding costs $600 - $1,000 per acre in conventional onions and over $1,000 per acre in organics.

While Johnson doesn’t expect the new machine to completely offset the labor expense immediately, he does estimate it will save at least $500 per acre.

“The other thing we don’t know is what we’re going to gain by not applying herbicide,” Johnson points out. “It’s yet to be determined how much yields will improve by not applying herbicides.”

The grower is hoping to eliminate herbicide applications eventually, but will play it by ear at first.

Use of the laser-weeder will also allow Johnson to pursue other opportunities on his operation by reallocating labor resources from hand weeding to other crops.

“I’m always looking for a better way to do things,” Johnson says. “Getting

Rob Gobleck with Crookham Company holds a handful of Crown onions. Photo courtesy Kris Crookham, Crookham Company

these engineers involved in agriculture has probably been the best thing to ever happen to the industry as a whole because this has brought huge interest from the engineering community, realizing that they can make a big difference in the world in the way that food is produced. That’s why it was cool to work with them because they really

James Johnson and his 3-year-old granddaughter, Emory, inspect the onion crop.

care. They want to do better.”

Improving production practices is not new at W.R. Johnson & Sons. Johnson practices regenerative agriculture, growing cover crops between cash crops and using minimal till or no-till farming as much as possible, and the farm is completely subsurface drip irrigated.

In addition, he began working with a lab in the Netherlands in 2019 to conduct plant sap analysis, measuring a wide range of minerals and fertility in plants.

By June 2020, Johnson had eliminated the need for insecticide and fungicide applications. A nutrition plan based on sap analysis has helped the farm reduce other inputs, as well.

“Ask me if I’m worried about nitrogen being through the roof,” Johnson says.

“We’re not because we have our soils producing probably 70 percent of the nitrogen that we need.”

Farming for Five Generations

The farm grows all colors of onions – 50 percent yellow, 30 percent red and 20 percent white – as well as sweet onions. Yellow organic onions make up about 10 percent of the crop.

Onions are grown mostly for the retail market with a secondary emphasis on foodservice. Short-day onions are seeded in September and October and harvested at the end of May through the first of July. Intermediate-day onions are planted 8

Onion World • July / August 2022

James Johnson with W.R. Johnson & Sons and John Mey with Carbon Robotics stand next to an autonomous laser-weeder prototype from Carbon Robotics. The machine weeded this field of organic yellow onions multiple times during the season, beginning when onions were just emerging.

in January and February for a July and August harvest.

Onions are packed at Carzalia Valley Produce, a subsidiary of W.R. Johnson & Sons. The farm’s own onions account for one-third of the packing shed’s output, with the majority packed for other growers in the U.S. and Mexico.

In total, W.R. Johnson & Sons farms more than 3,000 acres of onions, cotton, pecans, durum wheat, barley and grain sorghum.

The Johnson family has been farming the land since 1918 when James Johnson’s great-grandfather, William R. Johnson, moved to New Mexico as a cattle rancher. The drilling of the first irrigation well in 1953 allowed him to start farming crops including

canning tomatoes. Most of the tomato production moved to California in the 1960s following the mechanization of harvest, and Johnson became a cotton and grain farmer. After dabbling in onion production in the early 1950s, the family returned to the onion business in 1980 and built the packing shed.

Today, James Johnson is joined by his brother, William IV, who manages the pecan orchards, and their dad, William III, who oversees the packing operations and remains the family’s go-to guy for advice. James’ two sons, T.J. and Walker, also work full time on the farm.

The farm’s location in the high desert of southwest New Mexico presents difficult farming conditions including high-sodium soil and water, extreme

heat as well as extreme cold due to high elevations. A changing climate is also making planting and harvest dates less predictable.

In addition to weather, the farm – like others across the country – is facing the challenges of increasing input prices, supply chain issues and labor shortages.

After steadily increasing onion acreage since 2018, the farm reduced onion acreage by 25 percent this year due to the tight labor supply because Johnson didn’t want to grow a crop larger than the packing shed could handle.

To face challenges going forward, Johnson intends to continue adapting to change and fulfilling his commitment to improving the land on which his family has been farming for five generations.

OnionWorld.net

9

Promises and Pitfalls Subsurface Drip Irrigation in Desert Processed Onions

By Ali Montazar, Irrigation and Water Management Advisor, University of California Cooperative Extension

C

limate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) is a catchy term that seems to imply farming smarter in an era of climate change, targeting increased productivity, enhanced resiliency and reduced emissions. More efficient water usage through drip and subsurface drip irrigation systems, supplemental and precision irrigation strategies and on-farm water conservation practices are considered as effective CSA tools to improve resource use efficiency.

The University of California recently conducted a viability assessment on utilizing subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) in the desert processed onions production system.

Processed onions are produced throughout California with nearly 8,800 acres of processed onion production in Imperial County.

Field Trials

The experiment was carried out in six commercial fields in the Imperial Valley over two crop seasons (2019-20 and 2020-21). Of the six fields, two fields were drip irrigated, two were under sprinklers and the final two under furrow irrigation (Fig. 1). The drip-irrigated fields were established using drip, while the other four fields were germinated using sprinklers. All fields were on a 40-inch bed with six plant rows per bed and 2.5 inches between planting lines. The driplines were installed in the center of beds at an average depth of 1.5 inches.

seasonal water consumptive use was 27.4 inches at this field with a long crop season of 237-day planting on Oct. 23, 2020. The cumulative onion crop water use of the drip-irrigated field was 26.2 inches in the 2019-20 season with a

Figure 1. Furrow irrigation dominates irrigation systems in California’s desert processed onions. Sprinkler and drip rank second and third, respectively. It is estimated that nearly 3 percent of processed onions in the region are currently under drip irrigation.

Furrow

Sprinkler

Consumptive Water Use

The actual crop water use (actual crop evapotranspiration or actual ET) was measured using the residual of energy balance method with a combination of surface renewal and eddy covariance equipment.

Variable water consumptive use was observed over the crop seasons ranging from 0.02 in/day (Dec. 7, 2020) to 0.25 in/day (April 8, 2021) at the drip-irrigated field in the 2020-21 season (Fig. 2). The 10

Onion World • July / August 2022

shorter crop season of 212-day planting on Nov. 8, 2019. This amount was, on average, 9 percent more at the sprinklerirrigated fields than the drip-irrigated fields.

Drip

The results indicate that the seasonal crop water use may vary due to irrigation management and farming practices, soil type and conditions, and the length of crop season.

More Soil Moisture Uniformity

Onions require frequent irrigation throughout the crop season since the plant root system is shallow and very little water is extracted from soil depth of more than 2 feet. Most of the crop water needed is extracted from the topsoil (12 inches). In addition, onion roots are mostly non- adventitious (branching), and all roots originate at the stem or basal plate of the plant. Keeping the upper soil areas moist is required to stimulate healthy onion root growth.

Onions have low capacity for reducing their leaf water potential by osmotic adjustment to compensate for less water availability at the root, whether caused by dry soil or salinity issues.

The amount and frequency of irrigation water depends on the irrigation practice, soil type and conditions, and temperature. For optimal plant growth, it is recommended to irrigate onion fields when 25 percent of the available water in the top 2 feet of soil is depleted.

The key advantage of SDI systems is to apply irrigation water more frequently and uniformly across onion fields over the season. Since irrigation events can be scheduled more frequently, soil moisture may be maintained at a desired level, and consequently, the deep percolation is minimized the entire irrigation season (Fig. 3).

Considerable Water Conservation

Using solid-set sprinkler systems for the processed onion stand establishment is a common practice in the low desert; however, the drip-irrigated fields in this study were germinated using drip.

Meaningful differences were observed between the seasonal applied water of the furrow-irrigated fields and both the drip- and sprinkler-irirgated fields (Fig. 4).

Even though the length of crop season was different in these fields, it appears that the amount of water applied during a 178-day period after the first irrigation (the furrow-irrigated field was harvested 178 days after first irrigation) would be a good measure to compare water applied at these fields.

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11

SUBSURFACE DRIP IRRIGATION

Consumptive water use (in/day)

0.3

All three fields were planted between Oct. 13 and Oct. 22, 2020. The applied water during the 178-day period was 4.9, 2.8 and 2.7 ac-ft/ac for the furrow-, sprinkler- and drip-irrigated fields, respectively. At this period, 2.2 ac-ft/ac water was conserved at the drip-irrigated field compared to the furrow-irrigated field. The seasonal applied water was 3.3 and 3.5 ac-ft/ac at the drip- and sprinklerirrigated fields.

Figure 2. Actual daily processed onion ET at a drip-irrigated field in the 2020-21 season. Predominate soil texture at this field is silty clay.

0.2

0.1

0.0 26-Sep

15-Nov

4-Jan

23-Feb

14-Apr

3-Jun

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Lower Costs for Downy Mildew Management

Downy mildew has complex environmental requirements, needing both cool temperatures and high humidity. Downy mildew spores are airborne and after landing on healthy plants, they require leaf wetness for infection to occur. Minimizing canopy leaf wetness could reduce the incidence and severity of downy mildew in onions.

Lower disease pressure is generally expected in drip-irrigated fields due to less leaf wetness potential.

Growers apply different amounts and types of fungicides to control downy mildew depending on severity of disease in onion fields. While the total cost of fungicides applied per acre by growers is not a scientific measure to evaluate the impact of irrigation practices on downy mildew incidence, this indicator could be considred as an applied evaluation measure from a grower prespective.

Growers generally apply more fungicides if the severity or the risk of disease is greater.

The data provided by the cooperative growers in the 2020-21 season demonstrated that the total cost of fungicides applied per acre for the dripirrigated field was 96.2 percent less than the sprinkler-irrigated field and 54.6 percent less than the furrow-irrigated fields. The fields were nearly 2 miles away from each other, and it is assumed they experienced similar weather conditions.

Greater Nitrogen-Use Efficiency

The total nitrogen accumulated in onion bulbs was determined at the experimental fields, and the total nitrogen applied quantities were monitored over the crop seasons. The 12

Onion World • July / August 2022

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SUBSURFACE DRIP IRRIGATION

Soil water tention (cb)

Figure 3. Soil water tension at a drip-irrigated field over the 2020-21 season. The data is reported for the depths of 6 and 18 inches.

5-Nov 0

25-Nov

15-Dec

4-Jan

24-Jan

13-Feb

5-Mar

25-Mar

20 40 18" depth

6" depth

60 80

Higher Potential Yield

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Figure 4. Cumulative applied water (irrigation + rainfall) over the 2020-21 crop season at the experimental sites. The crop season was 178, 204 and 224 days for the furrow-, sprinkler- and drip-irrigated fields, respectively.

Drip

Sprinkler

Furrow

Cumulative irrigation water (ac-ft/ac)

5

4

3

Different factors may affect the yields of processed onion fields, such as water and nutrient managemant practices, soil types and conditions, plant population and uniformity, length of crop season, and pest pressure and management.

Therefore, a more comprehensive data set and analysis is required to assess the impact of irrigation methods on processed onion production in commercial fields.

The observations of this study illustrated that the average weight of onion bulbs per acre (at harvest) at the drip-irrigated field was nearly 21 percent and 4 percent greater than the furrowand sprinkler-irrigated fields, respectively.

More Salt Accumulation on Topsoil

2

1

0 0

40

80

120

Day after seeding

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nitrogen-use effiency measure was computed for each of the experimental fields as the ratio of nitrogen accumulated in onion bulbs to nitrogen units applied. The value of this measure for each field is shown in Fig. 5.

The results demonstrated that the mean nitrogen-use efficiency was greater at the drip-irrigated field (74.1 percent) than both sprinkler- (68.7 percent) and furrow- (45.7 percent) irrigated fields.

Onion World • July / August 2022

160

200

240

Salinity may decrease bulb diameter, bulb weight, root growth, plant height and number of leaves per plant in onions. Salinity often affects the timing of development, and flowering in onions occurs earlier under salt stress.

A salinity survey was conducted at each of the experimental sites which demonstrated salt accumulation on the topsoil at the drip-irrigated fields (Fig. 6). The survey showed that soil electrical conductivity (ECe) varied from 3.6 to 10.6 dS/m at the depth of 0-6 inches. The average ECe values at the same depth were lower at the furrow- and sprinklerirrigated fields.

Buildup of soil saline conditions could occur on the topsoil in drip-irrigated processed onion fields. To maintain salinity over the season, applying sufficient irrigation water at high enough frequencies to guarantee adequate leaching in the effective crop root zone is required.

The salinty survey conducted after the summer leaching practice undertaken at

100

Figure 5. Mean nitrogen-use efficiency at the experimental fields over the 2020-21 season. Standard deviation of the corresponding nitrogen-use efficiency values is shown on the bars.

N-Use Efficiency (%)

80 60 40 20

ONION

0 Furrow

Drip

Sprinkler

Figure 6. ECe values at the soil profile in 10 different locations at a drip-irrigated field two weeks after harvest (June 26, 2021).

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60 this drip-irrigated field indicated that the entire soil profile was effectively leached and the high ECe values of the topsoil declined to an average of 1.8 dS/m in late September 2021. It is concluded that the current salt leaching practices in the region along with an effective drainage system can remove salt from the crop root zone and sustain soil producivity.

Effective irrigation managmant of drip-irrigated fields may also maintain potential saline conditions of the topsoil over the season.

This model now has the ability to do bags as well as cartons with the new touch screen controls.

Author’s note: Funding for this study was provided by the California Garlic and Onion Research Advisory Board and the Imperial County Agricultural Benefits Program. I gratefully acknowledge the farms that contributed to this effort with sincere collaboration during the study and for allowing the research staff to implement the project in their agricultural operations.

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OnionWorld.net

15

Boise or Bust

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

A

16

few years back, a simple bus ride was all it took for Gumz Farms to ramp up its onion business. The Wisconsin producers who farmed 40 percent of the state’s potatoes and 20 percent of the state’s onions were on their first ride at the National Onion Association’s (NOA) summer convention.

“We just happened to sit next to a retailer on the bus and started talking,” said Doug Bulgrin, onion sales manager for Gumz Farms. “It blew up from there.

Every time we go to a convention, we learn something new to make our business better.”

If they’re not meeting a new retailer, they could be learning about the latest refrigerated storage, or a better seed treatment, or Washington D.C. policies that they can help influence.

“Really, if you’re going to be in the onion industry, you cannot afford to not be a member,” Bulgrin said.

This year, however, non-members are also welcome at the NOA’s summer convention and auction. It’s a way to give those in the industry a taste of what NOA conventions can do to help their business, and it’s a way to re-establish old friendships or make new ones.

However you use the convention, we hope you will be able to use it to your advantage.

Besides a bustling onion business that continues to grow, Bulgrin said he’s now a phone call away from peers across the country if he needs something; or he can pick up the phone and call advocates in Washington D.C. if he has a regulatory concern.

“We have friends all over the country,” Bulgrin said.

This year, the NOA is going to Boise, Idaho, in the heart of the Treasure Valley, where onion farming thrives and growers are a stone’s throw away from each other. We want to extend a hand to all to come out and visit and see what the convention can do for you.

Our conventions typically start with an opening reception. This year, that will be at 6 p.m., July 6, at our basecamp of The Grove Hotel, 245 S. Capitol Blvd.

Registrants will have a couple of free drink tickets to whet their whistle, with some good snacks available, as well. This is a great way to get re-acquainted with the NOA and meet up with old members and new.

The serious business starts Thursday,

NOA ag tour attendees will get to see the inner workings of BASF’s vegetable seed company that showcases the Nunhems portfolio and see how seed is processed for sale.

Owyhee Produce in Parma, Idaho will make for an interesting and refreshing stop on the Boise ag tour, as the company will be packing watermelons.

Onion World • July / August 2022

July 7. This day will start with a buffet breakfast to get you through the morning of meetings. Members are scheduled for committee meetings from 9 a.m. until noon, which leaves the morning open for spouses and friends. That means it’s time for a tranquil tour of the Idaho Botanical Gardens before meeting back at the hotel for lunch for a southern comfort buffet.

In the afternoon, we have U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo, R-ID, scheduled to discuss immigration reform, along with reports from NOA staff. Bruce Summers, administrator for the Agriculture Marking Service, will discuss onion reporting and marketing news.

Gretchen Wall, director of food safety and quality with the International Fresh Produce Association, will be on hand to help finalize the industry’s updated food safety guidelines. She will work with the group to take comments about the update we are working on for the Food Safety Guidelines for the Dry Bub Onion Industry. All registrants are welcome to put in their comments about the document before it becomes final.

Use Thursday night for some respite because Friday will be a day. Load up on the caffeine and build your energy

starting at 6:30 a.m. for breakfast. We have a full day planned, with a tour to the Malheur Experiment Station to discuss a variety of members’ seed offerings before we depart to Owyhee Produce in Parma for an interesting tour of the packing shed, including the company’s storage ventilation equipment, with discussion from Industrial Ventilation Inc. They’ll be packing watermelons at Owyhee, so count on a sweet treat to tide you over before lunch. For lunch, we’ll travel to Top Air, where we’ll see the amazing machinery work the company does to build field equipment, plus food trucks galore. We’ll round out the afternoon with field tours and more.

On Friday night, the fun will continue with a reception and an amazing dinner of filet mignon and jumbo prawns before we get into the annual summer auction.

There, you can bid on a six-bed rod lifter from Top Air, a Traeger Grill package from Justus Bag Company, a motorized skateboard from Volm Companies, and more from members who know how important this auction is to the NOA’s promotions fund to keep onions top of mind throughout America. Count on some fun bidding wars!

On Saturday, we’ll exit the meeting with our annual crop report breakfast, where representatives from America’s regions will report their onion storage numbers to help companies plan for the rest of the season.

With each day of the convention, we challenge you to find someone new with whom to connect. NOA’s conventions are not only about the good ol’ boys network. They’re about making connections that will excite your company or farm and employees to action. The NOA is here to advocate for the onion industry and keep your interests top of mind for our nation’s policymakers. But we also hope you make good connections, as well.

NOA conventions are about the networking. They’re about finding new contacts who share like visions. They’re about making business better.

“Business as we know it today would never have existed without the networking we’ve done at NOA conventions,” Bulgrin said.

We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.

The NOA Summer Convention and Auction The Grove Hotel • 245. S. Capitol Blvd.

Boise, Idaho 83702

Go to:

www.onions-usa.org/membercenter/conventions For a preview of the NOA ag tour, including driving directions, go to: OnionWorld.net/BoiseTour or click the QR code.

Georgia onion grower Michael Hively makes a point to Jennifer McIntire with the International Fresh Produce Association at the NOA annual convention during a discussion on food safety guidelines. The summer convention will give growers another chance to comment on the guidelines before finalizing the updated Food Safety Guidelines for the Dry Bub Onion Industry.

Top Air will host lunch at its facility during the ag tour. The company also has donated this Top Air Rod Lifter RL6400 for the NOA auction. The machine will do six beds of 40 to 44 inchs at a time.

OnionWorld.net

17

Onion Disease Quiz

This material is provided courtesy of Claudia Nischwitz, Associate Professor and Plant Pathology Specialist, Utah State University.

Many diseases can affect an onion crop. Correctly identifying the problem is crucial to choosing the proper solution.

What is wrong with these bulbs?

Answers on page 26

1

2

3

18

Onion World • July / August 2022

IN THE NEWS

Lender Predicts Slightly Profitable Onion Returns

Northwest Farm Credit Services’ 12-month profitability outlook suggests “slightly profitable onion returns.”

According to the lender’s quarterly Market Snapshot report released in April, the short supply of remaining onions positions Northwest producers to receive favorable prices for early-season onions. However, while onion prices are strong for remaining onion stock and the upcoming crop, rising input costs are driving up the cost of production and narrowing profit margins.

The report goes on to say that the Texas onion crop that hit the market in mid-March is dominated by medium onions with sizes small at the start of the season, noting that high prices and retailer demand are enticing producers to harvest early. This effect is likely to continue and therefore likely to result in reduced yields and continued tight supply until harvest of the 2022 Northwest crop is in full swing.

Sakata Seed America Expands in Mexico

Sakata Seed America is continuing its infrastructure expansion with the purchase of 35 acres of land in Culiacan, Mexico. Sakata Seed has been leasing the land and facilities for the past three years. Significant growth in the region led to the decision to secure a permanent location in Culiacan, home to many global seed breeding companies.

According to Sakata, this acquisition of land and newly expanded infrastructure will improve the company’s breeding, sales, marketing and production efforts in the growing Mexico market. The site will be called the Culiacan Innovation Center and will serve as a central research and development (R&D) hub for Sakata in Mexico and Central America and allow for further collaboration with the company’s four other R&D stations in North America.

FOR SALE 1998 Shuknecht SP-132 Onion Harvester

419-410-5328 John F. Stanbaugh & Co.

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Harvest Essentials Buyers' Guide 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, AgriStor 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 AgriStar 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 Electro-bagger from edp Australia, model EB-2218-DF, is currently in stock.

The machine has added 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 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.

Kerian Machines • www.kerian.com Kerian Speed Sizer

The Kerian Speed Sizer sorts onions by size quickly, accurately and gently. The constantly rotating rollers help the turning flaps align the onions with the rollers so that they are consistently sorted by size. The Kerian Speed Sizer is proven in use for whites, reds, golds, browns, Spanish, pearl and many other varieties of onions.

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Onion World • July / August 2022

Lee Shuknecht & Sons, Inc. • www.shuknecht.com SP-132 Onion Harvester

Lee Shuknecht & Sons, Inc.’s SP-132 is a self-propelled twobed 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 topping of green and/or dry onions 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 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.

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Harvest Essentials Buyers' Guide Rietveld Equipment, LLC • www.rietveldequipment.com Upmann Packing Machines

As the U.S. distributor for Upmann packaging machines, Rietveld Equipment is able to bring the planning, design, construction and final assembly of one of the leading manufacturers of weighing and packaging technology in Europe to the U.S. Upmann offers fully automatic filling and sealing machines for net bags, trays, boxes and poly bags. Upmann’s product line offers everything from clippers and baggers to carton-fillers and robotic arms. Using one company to supply the entire packaging line, as well as the design of the line, assures that all aspects of the packing line work together seamlessly.

Top Air • info@topairinc.com Onion Topper Loader

The 2022 XTR is Top Air’s newest onion topper loader. Available in twoor four-bed models, the XTR combines the industry’s highest capacity with superior handling. Featuring a high-performance rotary cutting system, this harvester outperforms in the most challenging harvest conditions on both short- and long-day onions.

Top Air is now taking reservations for 2023 models.

L&M Specialty Fabrication • www.turbotopharvester.com Turbo Top Pull-Type Harvester

Turbo Top’s pull-type model is a two-bed onion harvester. Green onions are one of Turbo Top’s specialties, allowing users to start harvest earlier to control curing. Day or night harvest? Turbo Top is capable of both. Adverse conditions? Turbo Top can work through the toughest of conditions.

Three models are available. TT-248PT features dual 48-inch-wide pickup elevators, TT-264PT offers dual 64-inch pickup elevators, and TT-268PT has dual 68-inch pickup elevators. This allows onions to be picked up how they are grown without windrowing to reduce damage.

The Turbo Top pull-type harvester comes standard with infinite cab control of fan speed, primary chain speed, load boom speed/movement, cutter bar height and front elevator depth. An exclusive large topping area eliminates weeds/debris and allows even the greenest tops to be sorted before topping.

Turbo Top also comes in self-propelled models to fit growers’ needs.

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Onion World • July / August 2022

Univerco • www.univerco.com Two-Row Onion Harvesters

With 30 years of experience in building one-row onion harvesters, Univerco has introduced its new two-row onion harvesters.

The two-row models are available in both short-day and long-day onion versions. Both units have a similar harvest capacity per day, a steering axle to reduce turning radius on headlands and a system of three cameras so operators can easily monitor the key functions of the machine.

The short-day model has even more options available such as a sorting table, brushes under the topper table to keep the rollers clean at all times, and more angle and speed adjustments of the topper table. These improvements were made in an effort to minimize mechanical damage to onions.

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 remote-monitored support.

Expect More Than Great Seed

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23

Researchers Identify Novel Species of Pathogenic Bacteria of Onion

W

hile conducting a survey of bacteria in onions, a team of Texas A&M AgriLife researchers in Uvalde, Texas, identified a new pathogen, a bacterial species now named for where it was found.

“This novel disease can significantly impact marketable yield and possibly incur tremendous loss to onion growers in Texas and beyond,” said Subas Malla, a Texas A&M AgriLife Research assistant professor of vegetable breeding and genetics. “Identification is crucial to understand more about its distribution, potential disease outbreaks and possible control methods.”

The statewide, national and international prevalence and geographic distribution is unknown. Thus, the full impact of this newly documented pathogen, which has been named Pseudomonas uvaldensis sp. nov., is yet

The cross-section of an onion bulb is infected with the Pseudomonas uvaldensis sp. nov. bacterium.

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Onion World • July / August 2022

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to be determined.

Identifying this new bacterium provides more information about lateseason and potentially post-harvest bulb rots, which can significantly decrease yield and quality, said Kimberley Cochran, a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service plant disease specialist.

“Texas onion pathology is an area that needs more study, particularly in the case of bacterial pathogens,” she said.

“But with this work, the first step has been taken to better understand the full impact of this species.”

Analyzing the Pathogen

For the last three years, Malla’s lab in Uvalde, Texas, has been conducting a bacterial survey on onions in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley and Winter Garden region.

Malla is a collaborator on the “Stop the Rot” project, a four-year Specialty Crop Research Initiative project funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. It was as part of this project that a member of Malla’s team, Manzeal Khanal, a research associate with AgriLife Research, along with Texas A&M graduate student Bed Prakash Bhatta,

From left to right, Bed Prakash Bhatta, Subas Malla and Manzeal Khanal are pictured in the onion research field at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Uvalde.

22-06 Onion World-7.3x4.9.v1.pdf

1

2022-05-26

The Pseudomonas uvaldensis sp. nov. bacterium is magnified by electron microscope.

9:11 AM

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Onion Quiz Answers From page 18

The onions have black mold. The signs and symptoms are caused by Aspergillus niger. The black discoloration on the bulbs is the spores of the fungus. Aspergillus invades outer onion scales through wounds.

Spores can develop under the dry outer scales (Photo 1). Infected inner scales often become water soaked. Under dry conditions, infected scales may dry up (Photo 2). In addition, infected scales can be colonized by secondary pathogens such as bacteria, leading to decay of the entire bulb (Photo 3).

A. niger is found on onions worldwide. It survives on plant debris in the soil, and spores are dispersed by wind. It is a weak pathogen that infects damaged onions through wounds. Infection can occur over a wide range of temperatures (63-93 degrees Fahrenheit) and high humidity (above 80 percent for at least six hours). Below 59 degrees Fahrenheit, fungal growth will stop but resumes growth as soon as temperatures get above the threshold. Storing onions in boxes or bags above 75 degrees Fahrenheit can make the disease worse.

This is something to take into consideration when onions are stored at low temperatures but transported long distances to customers on unrefrigerated trucks in the summer time.

Using seed treated with fungicides, avoiding injury to bulbs at harvest, and storing and transporting onions below 59 degrees Fahrenheit and low humidity can reduce disease incidence. Wide temperature fluctuations should be avoided. They can result in condensation forming on onion bulbs, providing the moisture needed for spores to germinate.

26

Onion World • July / August 2022

isolated and identified this pathogenic novel species from a diseased onion bulb.

Khanal performed a preliminary identification of the bacterium using the Sanger sequencing on 16S rRNA gene. The results showed similarities to common pathogens in other crops.

“The 16S rRNA gene sequence of the strain was similar to Pseudomonas mediterranea and Pseudomonas corrugata, but these species are common pathogens of tomato and pepper and not known to cause disease in onion,” Khanal said.

When he realized he may be looking at a new pathogen of onion, Khanal performed whole-genome sequencing for accurate identification of the strain. After analyzing the complete genome of the unique strain, he realized the genome did not meet the criteria assigned to any known species of Pseudomonas. In addition to whole-genome sequencing, biochemical and physiological features of the strain were also examined as part of the phenotypic fingerprinting effort.

“Using this polyphasic approach to taxonomy, the strain was confirmed as a novel species,” Malla said. “We named the species Pseudomonas uvaldensis sp. nov., as a tribute to the city of Uvalde, where the Texas A&M AgriLife center has been conducting research and extension outreach for half a century.”

The work is a collaboration among scientists from the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Uvalde, the University of Florida and the University of Pretoria, South Africa. Findings are published in the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology.

Story and photos courtesy AgriLife Today

To Advertise in

Onion World Call Dave at 208-520-6461

Windrower/Lifter

Windrowers from Nicholson are available in various widths and have been designed for all types of soil and to handle the crop with extreme care. Single and 3-bed machines are available. The 3-bed model has options to place 3 beds into 3, 2 or a single bed, cutting loading time dramatically while reducing damage caused by maneuvering in the field. A fold-up chassis makes road transport easier & safer.

Top-Tailer

The original Top-Tailer design by Nicholson is recognized as a market leading finish topper. It comes in various widths and configurations.

The bypass machine is increasingly popular for short-day onion growers that need to do both hand and mechanical harvesting. By removing 4 safety pins and the press of a button, the cutting rollers are replaced by a belt conveyor.

Field Topper

The Nicholson field topper has established itself as one of best toppers for short- and long-day onions. The unique design places the tops into the furrows, leaving the top of the bed and the onions clean. Machines come in single-bed or multi-bed options with fold-up chassis.

New for 2022: A self-cleaning system which is due to be trialed in WA in the upcoming season.

Harvesters/Loaders

There are a range of machines available that can load into bags, bins or bulk trailers and trucks. Machines come standard with the Star-Lifter head that has been proven on short- & long-day onions in various soil conditions giving the customer the option of picking up a lifted crop or direct harvest.

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CALENDAR Aug. 22

• Aug. 25

WSU Onion Field Day

Grigg Farms, Quincy, Wash.

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

Seminis Onion Experience+ Event

••••

Aug. 24

Malheur Experiment Station Onion Variety Day

595 Onion Ave., Ontario, Ore. Janet Jones, (541) 889-2174 or janet.jones@oregonstate.edu

28

Bayer Crop Science Payette Research Station 10721 Scotch Pines Rd, Payette, Idaho Richard Navarrete, (208) 317-6451 or richard.navarrete@bayer.com

Onion World • July / August 2022

•

July 6-9

National Onion Association Summer Convention Boise, Idaho www.onions-usa.org

Aug. 23

Crookham Onion Reveal

Wilder, Idaho Lyndon Johnson, (208) 369-3390 or ljohnson@crookham.com

Aug. 9

Utah Onion Summer Field Tour

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

From the NOA

Import Issues

US Onion Industry Leaders Work to Educate APHIS on Ramifications of Pre-Cleared Onions

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

D

utch onions could soon be coming to American ports without inspections for pests. In a call with National Onion Association (NOA) leadership in April, officials with the USDA’s preclearance program explained that a recent request by the National Plant Protection Organization in the Netherlands had not yet been thoroughly vetted. But, since the Dutch are a regular trading partner with the U.S., and they’re seeking clearance under an existing USDA program to allow entry into the U.S. without port-of-entry inspection, the Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service (APHIS) in the USDA was obligated to go through the process.

APHIS performed a risk assessment on the request for the potential introduction of invasive pests to the U.S. and was seeking comment on the proposal.

In May, National Onion Association executive vice president Greg Yielding (center) met with Dr. Mark Davidson (left), newly appointed deputy administrator for Plant Protection and Quarantine, and Matthew Rhoads (right), executive director of Plant Health Programs, to discuss a request to allow Dutch onions into the U.S without port inspections.

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Onion World • July / August 2022

Matthew Rhoads, associate department administrator for plant protection and quarantine in APHIS, in a call with NOA leadership and the NOA industry export committee, said the analysis into the request was still very early. He said a complicating factor in the request is that the Dutch had previously operated under a pre-clearance program in the ‘90s and are approved traders with the U.S. In the last 10 years, he said, the U.S. has accepted 1,400 shipments of onions from the Dutch, and very few pests that needed action were found.

Rhoads explained that if the Dutch were granted pre-clearance status, they were subjecting themselves to a more rigorous inspection program than exists today.

The pre-clearance program operates much like the TSA pre-check program at the airport, where you pay a premium to skip the lines and get to your gate more quickly. Under a USDA pre-clearance program, Dutch growers would pay to have USDA inspectors do their inspections in their country. Inspectors would be in the Netherlands visiting the fields and inspecting onions on-site in lieu of inspection at the U.S. port of entry. But that doesn’t mean after a risk assessment there wouldn’t be some mitigations put in place at the U.S. end, according to Rhoads.

“Bottom line, this will be a step up in terms of risk management,” Rhoads said.

In May, NOA executive vice president Greg Yielding met with the new director of APHIS in Washington D.C. to continue discussions about the onion industry’s concerns. NOA officials fear that allowing Dutch onions into the U.S. without a portof-entry inspection could not only risk bringing invasive species to the U.S. but could cripple the U.S. onion industry by the time it was even found.

“Pre-clearance may be more rigorous, but it allows them to get through faster,” said Jared Gutierrez, NOA vice president.

“If those onions are contaminated with any type of disease or pest, by the time it penetrates the U.S. market … the U.S. onion grower, the U.S. market pays the price.”

Ultimately, the program would allow more inspections for more products into the U.S., Gutierrez said.

“It’s a double-edged sword. You’ll be able to inspect more on (their) end, and if more is inspected on that end, more is being shipped to the U.S., which is detrimental to U.S. growers,” Gutierrez said. “Then we’re asking for tariffs to be placed to minimize the volume coming into the markets.”

Rhoads said, “We are sincerely interested in your concerns. If we fail in protecting you, we’re failing.”

NOA leadership will continue to monitor this situation to ensure the U.S. onion industry’s voice is being heard on the matter.

Advertiser Index Agri-Stor ............................. 13 American Takii ...................... 5 Bejo .................................... 21 Carbon Robotics ................... 9 Chinook Equipment ............ 15 Clearwater Supply .............. 19 CMI ..................................... 11 Crookham ........................... 23 Gearmore ........................... 24 Gowan Seed ....................... 26 John F. Stanbaugh ............... 19 Kerian ................................. 28 L&M ...................................... 2 Nicholson............................ 27 Nunhems ............................ 19 Redwood Empire ................ 14 Rietveld .............................. 31 Seedway ............................. 11 Teleos Ag .............................. 3 TheOnionPodcast.com Sponsored by Novasource .. 13 Top Air ................................ 32 Vegetables by Bayer ........... 29 Verbruggen ......................... 12 Volm ................................... 25

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