Onion World May-June 2022 by Columbia Media Group

ONION WORLD OnionWorld.net • May/June 2022

Variety Buyers' Guide

Advertiser Index

AquaTech ............................ 15 Bejo .................................... 14 Chinook Equipment .............. 9 Clearwater Supply .............. 20 CMI ..................................... 13 Crookham ............................. 3 Disinfecting Services ............. 9 Enza Zaden ......................... 16 Fox Packaging ..................... 19 Fox Solutions ...................... 15 Gearmore ........................... 18

Hazera...................................... 9 L&M .................................... 12 Nichino ............................... 23 NOA .................................... 17 Nunhems ............................ 19 TheOnionPodcast.com Sponsored by Novasource .. 21 Redwood Empire .................. 4 Rietveld .............................. 24 Seedway ............................. 13 Verbruggen ......................... 20

Where Are My Onions? Weeding Through the Options 2022 Utah Onion Association Winter Meeting

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ONION WORLD Volume 38, Number 4

MAY/JUNE 2022

4 Short- and Intermediate-Day Variety Update Buyers' Guide

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

OnionWorld.net ONION WORLD CONTACTS Editor Denise Keller editor@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com

11 Weeding Through the Options

Publisher / Advertising Manager Dave Alexander dave@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com

12 From Seed to Storage

Director of Operations Brian Feist brian@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com

14 A Collaborative Effort

EDITORIAL INFORMATION

Tips for Weed Management in Onions 2022 Utah Onion Association Winter Meeting Joint Allium Research Meeting Showcases Latest Research on Onion Production, Pests, Diseases

18 Where Are My Onions?

Many Causes of Poor Stands and Stunting

Onion World is interested in newsworthy material related to onion production and marketing. Contributions from all segments of the industry are welcome. Submit news releases, new product submissions, stories and photos via email to: editor@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com, or call (509) 697-9436.

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A crew strip-tills a wheat cover crop to help provide onion seedlings some protection from wind. Wind is one of many possible causes of poor stands and stunting. Find a dozen common causes on pages 18-21. Photo courtesy Andy McGuire, WSU

ON THE COVER

Seed companies show off their short- and intermediateday varieties. Check out the full selection in the Short- and Intermediate-Day Onion Variety Buyers' Guide starting on page 4. 2

Onion World • May / June 2022

DEPARTMENTS 10... Calendar 17... In the News 22... From the NOA 22... Advertiser Index

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.

Expect More Than Great Seed

Short Day

Intermediate Day

SHORT- AND INTERMEDIATE-DAY VARIETY GUIDE

Rio del Sol

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

Blanca Grande

Blanca Grande is a medium-early maturing short-day white onion with a high percentage of single centers and strong bolting tolerance. Uniform globe-shaped bulbs have thin necks with sizing in the medium to large range with good interior white color.

Rio Dulce

Rio del Sol

Rio del Sol is a mid-late short-day onion with strong tops and vigorous roots. It has high field resistance to pink root. Bulbs are a uniform globe shape with sizing in the colossal and super colossal range.

Rio Dulce

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

Rising Sun

Rising Sun is a medium-early maturing short-day onion with strong bolting tolerance. The variety has a rating of less than five on the pungency scale. Bulbs have a high percentage of single centers and a uniform globe shape. Sizing is mostly in the colossal and super colossal range.

Superex

Rising Sun

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

Superex

Onion World • May / June 2022

SHORT- AND INTERMEDIATE-DAY VARIETY GUIDE 1200 Anderson Corner Rd. Parma, ID 83660 Phone: (800) 733-9505 www.nunhemsusa.com

Plethora Carta Blanca

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

Dulciana

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

Mata Hari

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

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

Vidora

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

Rasta

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

Sofire

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

Rasta

Mata Hari

Sofire

Plethora

Vidora

Carta Blanca Dulciana

OnionWorld.net

SHORT- AND INTERMEDIATE-DAY VARIETY GUIDE

Bejo 369

1972 Silver Spur Place Oceano, CA 93445 Phone: (805) 473-2199 www.bejoseeds.com

Macon

Alison

NEW

Macon

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

Pirate

Bejo 369

Alison

Alison is a later maturing short-day Granex variety with upright tops and a deeper, high-yielding Granex shape. The variety has bolting resistance, is very uniform and works well for the laterseason slot in Vidalia. 6

Pirate

Onion World • May / June 2022

Macon is a short-day yellow Granex onion introduced for the late-season maturity slot. The variety is high yielding with a deep Granex shape, excellent uniformity, strong tops, and sweet and mild flavor. Pirate, a main-season short-day sweet Granex-type onion developed for the Vidalia market, features an attractive lighter colored skin. The variety produces uniform, firm bulbs with a high-yielding, deeper Granex shape and a high percentage of jumbos. It is widely adapted across many short-day regions.

Red Duke

Tania

Red Duke

Red Duke is a main-season short-day red onion with a Granex shape and a deep, attractive red color. Plants have vigorous disease-resistant tops with a strong root system. The variety is a consistently good performer with pink root resistance and low pungency.

Tania

Tania is a short-day yellow Granex onion with strong, upright, healthy tops with great plant habit. With early-main season maturity, the variety has a highyielding, deeper Granex shape, strong root system and firm bulbs.

SHORT- AND INTERMEDIATE-DAY VARIETY GUIDE P.O. Box 520 Caldwell, ID 83605 Phone: (208) 459-7451, ccoinfo@crookham.com www.crookham.com Intermediate- and Short-day: Rob Gobleck Phone: (575) 644-5712 robg@crookham.com Long- and Intermediate-day for U.S. and international: Lyndon Johnson Phone: (208) 369-3390 lyndonj@crookham.com

Valentine

Crown

Salute Somerset

Red Rock

Crown

Salute

Red Rock

Somerset

Crown is a dependable full-season onion that cuts a high percentage of single centers. It has a high tolerance to pink root, Fusarium and bolting. Bulb sizes range from jumbo to colossal. These characteristics make Crown a great choice for a producer-friendly variety. Red Rock is a sturdy and reliable mainseason red onion that has a beautiful external and internal color. The finished bulbs are firm with a great outer scale. This enables growers to store this onion. Red Rock has strong vigorous tops and a hearty root system.

Salute is a great early-to-main-season intermediate-day onion that has a golden brown scale and rates well with single centers. It has a consistent and uniform yield that produces bulbs in the jumbo to colossal class. Salute has a strong plant structure that gives tremendous vigor. Somerset is a main-to-late-season variety that has a nice deep copper scale. It yields jumbo to colossal globe-shaped bulbs that look amazing on the retail shelf. Somerset comes complete with a strong disease package for ease in production.

Vanguard

Valentine

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

Vanguard

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

OnionWorld.net

SHORT- AND INTERMEDIATE-DAY VARIETY GUIDE

DP Sweet F1

Georgia Boy F1

Sapelo Sweet F1

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

DP Sweet F1

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

Coming in the next issue of

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Onion World • May / June 2022

Georgia Boy F1

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

Sapelo Sweet F1

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

Javier Russek Product Specialist, Onions Phone: (831) 240-5736 www.enzazaden.us j.russek@enzazaden.com Rene Emch Sr. Product Specialist, Onions Phone: (657) 276-1021 r.emch@enzazaden.com

Elsye

Elsye is a mid-maturing intermediate yellow onion with excellent sizing potential. Elsye’s strong vigor and bolting tolerance make Elsye a prime choice for growers looking for an excellent yielding, processor-friendly onion that works well in the fresh market. As a bonus, Elsye’s mild flavor profile would allow it to be packed as a sweet onion, adding to its marketing flexibility. The variety is available in treated and untreated seed.

Elsye

SHORT- AND INTERMEDIATE-DAY VARIETY GUIDE

NEW

3155 SW 10th Street, Suite L Deerfield Beach, FL 33442 Phone: (954) 429-9445 www.hazera.us.com info@hazera.us.com

Toro Rosso

Edp Electro-bagger model EB 2218 DF

Toro Rosso is a short-day red onion with a semi-flat globe shape. Toro Rosso is a very productive variety for early-main season production and provides excellent internal coloration.

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.

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OnionWorld.net

SHORT- AND INTERMEDIATE-DAY VARIETY GUIDE

Alba Blanca

Central Valley: David Scheidt Phone: (559) 367-7080 david.scheidt@bayer.com Pacific Northwest: Richard Navarrete Phone: (208) 317-6451 richard.navarrete@bayer.com Texas: Lee Schill Phone: (956)-227-3442 lee.schil@bayer.com

Alba Blanca

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

Hellcat

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

Hellcat CALENDAR June 12-14

Washington Potato and Onion Association Summer Convention Hotel Bellwether, Bellingham, Wash. www.wapotatoonion.com

July 6-9

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

Hornet

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

Aug. 9

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

Aug. 24

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

Aug. 25

WSU Onion Field Day Grigg Farms, Quincy, Wash. Tim Waters, (509) 545-3511 or twaters@wsu.edu 10

Onion World • May / June 2022

Red Halen

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

Red Halen

Weeding Through the Options Tips for Weed Management in Onions By Sushila Chaudhari, Assistant Professor, Michigan State University

eed management is a very should go on in early to mid-July given has a 60-day PHI. One application of critical and important aspect for the 45-day pre-harvest interval (PHI), Outlook is allowed with a 30-day PHI, production of good quality and yield of assuming harvest is around the first week so Outlook normally would be the last an onion crop. Adequate management of of September. pre-emergence application of the season. weeds in onions is particularly important A delayed pre-emergence application All of these herbicides tend to be weak early in crop growth when weeds (10 to 20 days after seeding, before on common ragweed and mustards. compete with the crop for moisture, onion emergence) allows many weeds Another pre-emergence herbicide Zidua nutrients, light and space. Onions to emerge, which are then killed (pyroxasulfone) may be applied at 2 to have a shallow, non-aggressive, fibrous with bromoxynil, which is added to 2.75 fl oz/ac (0.065 to 0.09 lb ai/ac) to root system, and weed competition the pendimethalin (Prowl H2O). The onions at the two- to six-leaf stage. early in the growing season can primary weeds early in the season Chateau (flumioxazin) is registered for significantly reduce yield. Weeds can are ladysthumb, common purslane up to three applications and a total of 3 also interfere with chemical sprays and and redroot pigweed. The delayed ounces of product per acre per year. It harvest operations and exacerbate the pre-emergence pendimethalin plus may be applied with Prowl H2O, but not environmental conditions favorable for bromoxynil should be applied just before with Dual Magnum or Outlook because foliar disease development by decreasing onions emerge. Emerged onion plants their solvents make Chateau more air movement toxic to onion. within the canopy. Onions are very sensitive to weed competition during the first few Adding Chateau Weed control at 1-2 ounces weeks of growth. Therefore, preventing new weed germination and in onion fields per acre to the killing emerged weeds in the cotyledon stage is critical to achieve starts in the fall two applications successful weed management throughout the growing season. after harvest of Prowl H2O to of rotational emerged onions may be killed by bromoxynil. A few loops crops and is mainly achieved through a will improve pre-emergence control emerged from the soil surface is the combination of chemical, cultural and of mustards (shepherd’s purse, marsh latest safe stage to apply this treatment. mechanical weed control strategies. yellowcress, Virginia pepperweed), In Michigan, GoalTender (oxyfluorfen) After crop harvest in the fall, pay close smartweeds (ladysthumb, Pennsylvania at 2-6 fluid ounces per acre (0.063-0.188 attention to the weed species present in smartweed, prostrate knotweed) and lb ai) may be applied to onions at the your field. If there are many perennial composites (common ragweed, common one-leaf stage and later until 45 days weeds, then it is the best time to groundsel, pineapple weed). Chateau before harvest. Growers may have to apply glyphosate. Cultivation can be also has some pre-emergence and postsacrifice a few onion plants to follow a effective for annual weeds, but it is not emergence activity on spotted spurge. herbicide plan of applying GoalTender appropriate for perennial weeds due Grasses can be controlled with Fusilade at the onion one-leaf stage, followed by to their vegetative re-rooting following (fluzifop-P), Poast (sethoxydim) or Select another pre application and GoalTender disturbance. Planting cover crops in the Max (clethodim). The most critical early at the two-leaf stage. Onions can lose 10 fall is also a good strategy to manage grass problem in onion is cover crop percent of the intended stand without winter weeds. barley, which may grow too tall. This decreasing yield by producing bigger often happens when heavy rains prevent bulbs. Without good weed control, yield timely herbicide applications. Barley Early-Season reduction can be much greater than 10 Recommendations should be planted at 0.75-1 bushel/acre percent, so it normally is most effective and killed when it is 4-5 inches tall. It can Onions are very sensitive to weed to kill the weeds early and completely. If grow past that stage rapidly during cool, competition during the first few weeks common lambsquarters and ladysthumb of growth. Therefore, preventing new are not killed in the cotyledon to one-leaf wet conditions and adversely affect small onions, often causing stand and yield weed germination and killing emerged stage, they may survive all season. High weeds in the cotyledon stage is critical rates of GoalTender (5-6 fluid ounces) can loss. Detailed information related to the to achieve successful weed management injure soft onion leaves, especially in wet, herbicide rates and efficacy on weeds can throughout the growing season. cool years. be obtained from labels and Michigan Herbicides always play an important State University Extension bulletin E-433, role for weed management in onions. Season-Long Management “Weed Control Guide for Vegetable The label allows three applications at Dual Magnum (S-metolachlor) and Crops,” that contains lists of all currently pre-emergence, two-leaf stage, and Outlook (dimethenamid-P) may be labeled herbicides along with specific six- to nine-leaf stage of 2 quarts (1.9 applied with Prowl H2O, or alone remarks for their use in onion. lb active ingredient (ai)/acre) of Prowl after the two-leaf stage. Both have H2O (6 lb ai/acre/year) on onions. Under good yellow nutsedge activity. Dual normal conditions, the last application Magnum may be applied twice and OnionWorld.net

From Seed to Storage By Dan Drost and Claudia Nischwitz, Utah State University Photos by Dave Alexander, Publisher

nion seed priming and season-long crop health were featured topics covered during the 2022 Utah Onion Association winter meeting held Feb. 8.

Seed Priming

Dan Drost, Utah State University vegetable specialist, reported on the 2021 seed priming project and its implication for stand establishment and final bulb uniformity. “Our findings in controlled conditions show that the percent germination, speed of germination and uniformity of germination is much better for primed seeds than raw seeds at temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius),” Drost said. Given these findings, growers planting early in cold soils should really consider adding priming to their seed package to help get plants up quickly, Drost advised. He then described how primed and raw seed reacted to field conditions. Three different locations were used in 2021, and after sowing, seedling emergence was monitored every other day until no more seedlings emerged. “Like in the controlled studies, we saw faster and more uniform emergence with primed seeds in the field, but final

Onion World • May / June 2022

plant stands (percent emergence) was not different between raw or primed treatments,” Drost reported. As each seedling emerged, a small colored plastic toothpick was used to identify the date of seedling emergence and its position relative to other plants. At harvest, these individual bulbs were size graded and weighed. “What was really interesting was that later-emerging seedlings produced significantly smaller bulbs, many of them less than 2.25 inches in diameter,” Drost noted. In addition, while total yield wasn’t different between raw and primed seeds, most bulbs in the raw seed treatments were slightly smaller (64 percent sized as 2.75-inch, 3-inch or 3.25-inch diameter) compared to primed seed (68 percent size graded as 3-inch, 3.25-inch or 3.5inch diameter bulbs). Drost noted that the shift in size was likely related to the earlier and more uniform emergence of the primed seeds.

Bacterial Rot

Claudia Nischwitz, Utah State University plant pathologist, shared details on the national “Stop the Rot” onion project. “Stop the Rot” is designed

Dan Drost with Utah State University explains his seed priming study to attendees at the Utah Onion Association winter meeting.

to identify and manage bacterial diseases that affect onions in the field and storage. “In 2021, we found Enterobacter, Pantoea and Pseudomonas bacteria in Utah onion fields,” she reported, adding that most of these pathogens did not cause serious problems, but knowing

what diseases are present helps us understand the pathogens and their prevalence. “Utah commonly has few bacterial diseases due to the dry conditions experienced during the growing season,” she said. However, growers need to know what problems are potentially out there and how to mitigate infection risk both in the field and in storage. Nischwitz reported that field surveys will occur again during 2022 and Utah growers interested in having their fields evaluated should contact her. One disease that caused some storage rot problems in 2021 is Fusarium bulb rot. The disease is caused by Fusarium proliferatum, and while outbreaks are rare, the disease may be misidentified as symptoms often resemble Botrytis neck rot. The difference with Fusarium bulb rot is that, frequently, fungal mycelium can be seen growing between the scales in the bulb, noted Nischwitz. If you grow white onions, you usually see a faint pink coloration on or just underneath the outer skin but no rotting. Due to the rare occurrence of Fusarium bulb rot, little is known about the pathogen and the disease. Nischwitz’s lab has started research to learn more about the pathogen, disease cycle and management strategies for growers. The Utah Onion Association plans to hold its summer field day in Box Elder County on Aug. 9.

Utah onion growers Curtis and Lisa Marble tell TheOnionPodcast.com they lost 40 percent of their yellow onion crop to Fusarium bulb rot last year.

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A Collaborative Effort Joint Allium Research Meeting Showcases Latest Research on Onion Production, Pests, Diseases By Heather MacKay and Lindsey du Toit, Stop the Rot Project Mike Havey, National Allium Research Conference Peter Rogers, W-3008

ith the ultimate goal of helping onion growers increase crop yield and quality, a trio of onion research groups met to share information on onion breeding, production and disease managment. The three research groups held a joint meeting in Denver, Colorado, on Feb. 28 - March 2. The National Allium Research Conference (NARC), W-3008 multistate research project on integrated onion pest and disease management and the “Stop the Rot” research project team gathered in person and online, in association with the Colorado Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association, which was holding its annual meeting at the same time in Denver.

NARC, W-3008

Presenters shared some of the latest research on onion cultivation and breeding, along with disease, pest and weed management, during the NARC sessions. This was followed by reports from all participating states in the W-3008 project comprised of onion bulb production, climate influence, and disease and pest pressures encountered during the 2021 growing season. Topics of discussion included the paucity of water resources and extreme temperatures in western production regions and their effects on bulb quality and yield. The loss of registrations of important pesticides and the increased

Lindsey du Toit with Washington State University presents Robert Sakata of Sakata Farms in Brighton, Colo., with flowers in appreciation of Sakata’s longtime support of the onion research community. Photo courtesy Julie Kerr

Exploring nature never stops

BEJO ONIONS - LAYERS OF EXCELLENCE TANIA

RED SENSATION

ALISON

PIRATE

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

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

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

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

Earliness: Early main Sowing period: 09-15 - 09-25 Taste: Sweet Pyruvates: 3.6 Lacrymatory Factor: 2.8 Shape: Granex IR: Foc; Pt

Earliness: Early Sowing period: 09-25 - 10-05 Taste: Very sweet Shape: Grano IR: Foc; Pt

Earliness: Late Sowing period: 09-25 - 10-05 Taste: Very sweet Pyruvates: 3.5 Lacrymatory Factor: 2.4 Shape: Granex IR: Foc; Pt

Earliness: Main Sowing period: 09-18 - 09-28 Taste: Sweet Pyruvates: 3.4 Lacrymatory Factor: 2.6 Shape: Granex IR: Foc; Pt

f Bejo Seeds Inc. (main office) 1972 Silver Spur Pl. Oceano, CA | T: 805- 473-2199 | E: info@bejoseeds.com f

bejoseeds.com

prevalence of Stemphylium leaf blight have presented significant challenges to both bulb and seed crops. Progress was presented on the selection of onion germplasm for resistance or tolerance to Fusarium basal rot, thrips and Iris yellow spot virus. During the W-3008 session, a wide range of research efforts were on display, outlining pesticide efficacy studies for foliar diseases, onion variety resistance evaluations, new research methods, recent publications and extension outreach to commercial growers. Researchers and growers alike expressed the need for continued multistate research on Alliums, including strong support for a W-4008 with a broadened focus to include additional pests and weed challenges of onion.

Stop the Rot

The Stop the Rot project team presented the most recent results of research in this four-year, USDA-funded project focused on bacterial diseases of onion. Stop the Rot researchers are studying the whole pathogen-hostenvironment system, attempting to unravel some of the complex interactions of bacteria, onion plants and production practices. In the regional survey of bacterial strains across seven participating regions of onion production in the U.S., the team has found a much broader diversity of bacterial genera associated with symptoms in onion plants and bulbs than expected, but few of these genera have proven to be pathogens when tested on onion tissue in the laboratory. There were distinct differences in the pathogenic bacteria prevalent across the major regions of production in the U.S. Understanding the genetic basis for pathogenicity in bacterial strains is a key objective of the research in order to develop more effective and targeted bacterial disease diagnostic tools. Another important element is the series of field trials being carried out across U.S. onion production regions to evaluate the efficacy of irrigation, fertility, pesticide, post-harvest disinfection application, and cultural practices for management of bacterial diseases of onion in the field and in storage. Results to date indicate that irrigation practices probably have some of the most important impacts on bacterial diseases of onion in semi-arid regions of production. Terminating irrigation in a

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JOINT ALLIUM RESEARCH MEETING

Sponsorship from Nunhems USA enabled a virtual option, which allowed participants to join the meeting online, interact with the group and present their work. Photo courtesy Heather MacKay

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timely manner and using drip irrigation instead of overhead irrigation resulted in big reductions in losses to bacterial bulb rots. In field trials in Georgia, mechanical harvest with a bed-ridge undercutter resulted in more bacterial bulb rot compared to mechanical harvest with a chain-digger. Also, manual harvest of onion bulbs resulted in far more bacterial rot than mechanical harvest with a chaindigger. Another field trial demonstrated that topping onion bulbs manually to a neck length of 3 inches or 5 inches resulted in far less bacterial bulb rot than cutting the tops to a neck length of 1 inch. Application of hydrogen peroxide + peroxyacetic acid disinfectant products to onion bulbs after harvest did not prevent bacterial bulb rots from developing in storage. Bactericide trials in multiple states revealed very different results for winter production in the southeastern U.S. than summer production in western and northern states. Several bactericide treatments were effective at reducing losses to bacterial leaf blight and bulb rot in Georgia, but bactericides were ineffective in other states. This appears to be related to the different spectrum and timing of bacterial pathogens infecting overwintered onion crops in the southeast compared to other states. The economic returns of management recommendations based on results of all these field trials are being calculated for different regions of onion production. Participants also remembered the work of the late Dr. Steven Beer of Cornell on bacterial diseases of onion over many years, which provided important insights for the Stop the Rot project. Over the past two years, Beer had graciously provided isolates of many onion bacterial pathogens for this project.

Collaborative Meeting

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

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

Onion World • May / June 2022

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

In total, 95 people attended this event, which offered a great opportunity for participants to interact with researchers, growers and specialists involved with all aspects of the Allium industry. The chance to meet in person, after a long time of virtual meetings, was welcomed by all, and many good discussions ensued along the sidelines. Posters and presentations from the joint meeting are available for viewing on the Alliumnet website at www.alliumnet.com/narc.

IN THE NEWS

Fox Solutions Partners With Flow-Wrap Machine Manufacturer

Fox Solutions, a manufacturer and distributor of custom packing equipment, has partnered with its first flow-wrap machine manufacturer, Redpack. In addition to bringing current customers new packaging options, the partnership will enable Fox to serve new industries that utilize flow-wrap on items such as fresh produce or bakery products. In addition to new flowwrap product offerings, Fox Solutions will also carry roll stock to run on the new machinery.

Vidalia Celebrates Season’s Best

McLain Farms has claimed the Vidalia onion industry’s top prize for the third time in a decade. The farm was named the 2021 Grower of the Year during the Vidalia Onion Committee’s (VOC) annual awards banquet. McLain Farms also received the award in 2014 and 2018. Brothers Brett and Rusty McLain operate McLain Farms and make it their goal to maintain the integrity of the Vidalia onion industry by providing quality onions. In addition to honoring McLain Farms, the VOC also inducted Bob Meyer into the Vidalia Onion Hall of Fame. Meyer was a longtime director of markets for the Georgia Department of Agriculture. The Vidalia Onion Hall of Fame honors individuals who have significantly and positively impacted the Vidalia onion industry.

BASF Names New Nunhems Variety

BASF’s vegetable seed business has released its latest long-day yellow onion, Glorioso. The new variety will be available this growing season and provides tolerances to soil-borne diseases such as Fusarium and pink root. BASF describes Glorioso as an earlymaturing variety of 114-118 days with excellent bolting tolerance during early sowings. Trim necks with upright foliage will work well for sprinkler or drip irrigation. Glorioso has a uniform shape and jumbo size. It has a golden skin color with good scale retention and a firm exterior suitable for bulk storage conditions, according to BASF. The new variety is suitable for northern latitudes such as Washington, Idaho, Oregon, North Dakota and the Northeastern U.S.

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Where Are My Onions?

Many Causes of Poor Stands and Stunting By Carrie H. Wohleb, Associate Professor and Vegetable Extension Specialist, Washington State University

his is the time of year when I get calls from growers who want help figuring out why their onions didn’t emerge or their seedlings are stunted. The following are some of the problems my colleagues and I have found while investigating stand issues in the Columbia Basin in Washington. Some of these problems may not be common in other parts of the country, and other regions may be subject to problems that are not seen in my area.

Poor Seed-to-Soil Contact

A firm and finely textured seedbed provides the seed-to-soil contact that onion seeds need to access moisture for germination. But clods and large plant residues create air pockets in the soil that can limit direct contact between

onion seeds and soil. While irrigation can temporarily provide moisture to these seeds, drainage and quick drying often leaves them too dry to germinate. This problem is common with inexperienced onion growers who are used to planting crops with larger seeds where a smooth seedbed is less critical.

Soil Crusting

Soil crusting makes it difficult for onion seedlings to break the soil surface. In poorly aggregated soils, fine soil particles can settle into the spaces between larger particles, forming a seal, and then a hard crust can develop when the sealed surface dries after wetting. One way to prevent crusting is to keep the soil surface consistently moist. Some growers apply a wetting

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agent or penetrant if a significant crust forms, which can be effective as a “rescue” treatment but is not generally recommended for prevention. Soils with a lot of sodium are more likely to crust because sodium inhibits aggregation of soil particles. Since replacing some of the sodium with calcium can improve the soil structure, some growers inject calcium nitrate into irrigation water. But be careful because irrigation water with bicarbonate can react with calcium to form an insoluble precipitate. In that case, and for soils with a serious sodium problem, it is better to apply gypsum (calcium sulfate) in the off-season to remediate a sodic soil.

Acid Soils

Onions affected by soil acidity (pH < 5.5) exhibit slow, stunted growth with poorly developed roots. Columbia Basin soils are naturally neutral to alkaline, but acidification by nitrogen fertilizers and other inputs has gradually lowered the pH of some soils. Entire fields or scattered areas may be affected. In the latter instance, a composite soil sample for pH analysis will not indicate where stand problems might occur, and samples from a 0- to 12-inch depth may not give warning in cases where the soil is acid in just the top few inches. To verify a soil acidity problem, it is best to collect shallow soil samples from affected areas and compare them to those from healthy areas. Growers can avoid soil acidification by limiting applications of acidifying fertilizers. But the best way to correct a serious soil acidity problem is to apply and incorporate lime before planting.

Soil Surface Heat

Tender onion seedlings exposed to high soil surface temperatures can be damaged. The main symptom is a white or yellow band of tissue at the soil line. Sometimes the leaf dies back, but

since the growing point of the onion is underground and undamaged, the plant recovers by sending up another leaf. The damage is more common on dark, sandy soils that heat up quickly. It is also associated with a sudden change from cool and overcast to hot and sunny weather; the protective waxy cuticle covering leaf epidermal cells is slow to develop when it is cool and overcast, which leaves onion seedlings poorly prepared to handle sudden heat.

Wind

Severe winds can make it difficult to keep the soil moist for germination, blow soils and onion seeds away, contribute to soil sealing, and injure onion seedlings via sandblasting or desiccation. Irrigation can mitigate some of these problems, but sometimes it is impossible to keep the soil moist or prevent wind erosion. Some onion growers in the Columbia Basin plant into a strip-tilled wheat cover crop because the standing wheat provides onion seedlings some protection from the wind.

Rhizoctonia Stunting

Rhizoctonia is a soil-borne fungal pathogen that can cause stunting of onion seedlings. In the Columbia Basin, it is usually associated with onions that are planted into wheat cover crops. Since Rhizoctonia needs a living host

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A soil acidity problem can look like a seeding problem because onion plants in one zone can be missing or sparse, while plants in adjacent zones are fine. This pattern can be attributed to tillage; deeper tillage brings up more alkaline soil, but shallow tillage leaves the more acid soil at the surface. Photo courtesy Gary Pelter, retired WSU

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STANDS AND STUNTING to survive in soil, the key to managing this problem is to break the “green bridge” between the wheat and onions. Growers who practice strip-tillage should kill the wheat cover crop at least two to four weeks before planting onions. The dead standing wheat still has value as a physical barrier to protect onion seedlings against wind and sandblasting. The disease can also be reduced with broadcast and incorporated application of azoxystrobin (e.g., Quadris) before planting.

Pink Root

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The soil-borne fungus Setophoma terrestris is the causal agent of pink root. It infects onion roots and impedes water and nutrient uptake, and stunting is one of the early symptoms. It is easy to diagnose due to a pink discoloration of the infected roots. Onion cultivars vary in susceptibility to pink root, so stunting can be particularly striking when a susceptible cultivar is grown adjacent to a tolerant cultivar. We tend to find pink root in onion fields that are grown using short rotation intervals that allow a buildup of fungal inoculum. Cereal crops in the rotation, especially corn, can host the pink root pathogen and make it difficult to break the disease cycle. Pink root is managed with soil fumigants or by applying penthiopyrad (Fontelis) to the soil in a band below the seed.

Wireworms

Wireworms are the hard-bodied, copper-orange-colored larvae of click beetles. They reduce stands or stunt plants by feeding on seeds and roots and are important pests of numerous crops. In the Columbia Basin, onion fields occasionally need to be replanted due to significant stand destruction by wireworms. If a previous crop had problems with this pest, then subsequent onion crops are likely to be at risk. If you do not know the field history, then you can look for wireworms before planting by sifting through several soil samples or by putting out bait traps to attract wireworms. But these methods do not work well if the soil near the surface is cold, which drives the wireworms deeper into the soil, or if you do not do a thorough check.

Seedcorn Maggots

Seedcorn maggots are the larvae of a small fly species. They feed on seeds and roots of many different vegetable crops, often resulting in stand issues. The adult flies prefer to lay their eggs in recently tilled soil and are especially attracted to decomposing organic matter, such as manure and plant residues. Chlorpyrifos (Lorsban) was commonly used to control seedcorn maggot, but this insecticide is no longer registered for use on onions. Seed treatments with insecticides (imidacloprid, clothianidin, thiamethoxam and spinosad) can be used to minimize damages, but these insecticides must be ingested by the insect and are a little slower acting compared to chlorpyrifos, which killed the pest on contact.

Stubby-Root Nematodes

Stubby-root nematodes attack roots, causing them to be very short and stubby, and infestations result in significant stunting of plants. Soil samples from areas where onions are stunted can be submitted to a nematode assay lab for verification. Stubby-root nematodes are found in the upper soil profile when the soil is moist and about 70 degrees Fahrenheit, but they tend to move deeper when it is drier and temperatures are cooler or hotter. It is possible to misdiagnose this problem if soil samples are not collected deep enough to reach the nematodes. Soil fumigation with, 3-dichloropropene (e.g., Telone II) or applications of oxamyl (e.g., Vydate) are the most common treatments used to manage stubby-root nematodes in onions.

Herbicide Carryover

Onion stands can be compromised by “carryover” of herbicides to which onions are sensitive. In the Columbia Basin, stand problems have occurred when imazamox (e.g., Raptor) was applied to a previous bean crop, and when metribuzin (e.g., Dual) was used the previous season. Most herbicide labels state plantback restrictions and provide details about how quickly the herbicide degrades under different conditions (pH, rainfall or irrigation, soil texture, etc.). This information should be carefully considered prior to planting onions.

Herbicide Injury

Herbicides that are labeled for use in onions can cause yellowing, curling, or necrotic leaf tips, but the crop usually grows out of this injury if herbicides are applied as directed. Stand reduction is less common, but can occur when herbicide applications are poorly timed. For example, glyphosate (e.g., Roundup) applications intended for the postplanting to pre-emergence window can cause stand losses when they miss their mark and are made too late. This tends to be a bigger problem in seasons where cool spring temperatures result in non-uniform emergence or when it is too windy to make pre-emergent applications. Avoid this problem by surveying the field thoroughly before making the application. Several pesticides are mentioned in this article. Always read and follow the instructions on the product label. It is up to you to make sure they are used appropriately.

Author’s note: Many of these problems were investigated by my colleagues, Lindsey du Toit, Washington State University (WSU) plant pathologist, and Tim Waters, WSU vegetable Extension specialist, and by my predecessor, Gary Pelter, retired WSU vegetable Extension specialist. I want to thank them for sharing their expertise and for being excellent collaborators.

Extreme heat at the soil line damaged onion seedlings. Most of the plants in this field eventually recovered by sending up a new leaf. Courtesy photo

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