Organic allium production

20 Pages·1999·0.438 MB·English

by  Lane Greer, George Kuepper, Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas (Organization)

Organic Allium Production
ATTRA
A Publication of ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service (cid:127) 1-800-346-9140 (cid:127) www.attra.ncat.org
By Katherine Adam Alliums are a cool-season crop grown in most regions of the U.S. This publication addresses commercial
NCAT Agriculture culinary alliums, except garlic. A brief history of the onion is presented and some of the major variet-
Specialist ies, growing regions, and types of bulbs are presented. Marketing and economic considerations of the
© 2006 NCAT varieties of dehydrator and fresh bulb onions are also discussed. Production and processing issues are
briefl y reviewed, as are crops such as shallots and leeks. Soils, climate, and planting considerations are
also discussed. Weed management and an overview of major pests and their control are also presented.
Post-harvest handling and storage issues are mentioned along with a brief review of current research.
References and resources follow the narrative.
Contents
Introduction .............. 1
Marketing and
Economics .................. 3
Production
Budgets ....................... 4
Other Types of Bulb
Onion Crops................ 6
Are Onion Crops
Alternative? ................ 8
Soil Fertility and
Climate ...................... 10
Planting Systems .... 10
Irrigation ................... 11 vegetables. The dry onions fi rst brought
Introduction
Control of Weeds, to this country by settlers were northern
Insect Pests, and Alliums are biennial monocots that are culti- European types adapted to the temperate
Diseases .................... 11
vated as annuals, a cool-season crop requir- climate found throughout the Northeast.
Insect Pest
ing temperatures of at least 55 degrees Varieties from warmer regions of the Med-
Management ........... 14
Fahrenheit to emerge from seed. Optimum iterranean eventually made their way to
Disease
Management ........... 15 leaf growth rates occur at temperatures of the southeastern United States. In particu-
68 degrees Fahrenheit to 77 degrees F. lar, varieties from Spain and Italy would
Harvest/Postharvest
Handling/Storage .. 17 Alliums include various bulbing and non- become important to the Vidalia onion
Research ................... 18 bulbing species, used for both culinary and industry. The fi rst of these varieties came
References ............... 18 ornamental purposes. This publication through Bermuda and were thus referred
Further Resources .. 19 covers culinary alliums (except for noncom- to as Bermuda onions.
mercial types), with the exception of garlic.
Yellow Granex, the standard for Vidalia
See the ATTRA publication Organic Garlic
onions, has its origin from Early Grano.
Production. For an exhaustive discussion of
ATTRA—National Sustainable The variety Early Grano 502 resulted in
Agriculture Information Service alliums worldwide, including ornamentals, the Texas Early Grano 951C, which became
is managed by the National Cen- see Rabinovitch and Currah. (1)
ter for Appropriate Technology one of the parents for Yellow Granex hybrid.
(NCAT) and is funded under a The other parent, YB986, was selected
grant from the United States History
Department of Agriculture’s from Excel, which in turn was derived from
Rural Business-Cooperative Ser- Onions (Allium cepa) are now thought to White Bermuda. These are short-day, sweet
vice. Visit the NCAT Web site
(www.ncat.org/agri. have originated in southwest Asia, but a onions that formed the basis of the Vidalia
html) for more informa- wild progenitor has yet to be found. (1) industry, beginning in 1931. Dry onions
tion on our sustainable
agriculture projects. (cid:47)(cid:36)(cid:34)(cid:53) The onion is one of the oldest cultivated from northern European parentage are now
referred to as “American” types. Those Latest fi gures on the value of onion crops
deriving from southern Europe, via the in Oregon are $74 million for 2004;
Caribbean, are called “European” types. onions now rank tenth among Oregon
crops. (2) Federal crop profi les have been
Onions are classified as dry (bulb) or
published for onion production in several
green. Bulb onion varieties are generally
states—including California, Colorado,
classifi ed by day-length (short, intermedi-
New Mexico, Washington, Oregon, New
ate, long), market use (fresh bulb, dehy-
Related ATTRA York, Wisconsin, Georgia, Texas, and Ohio
drator bulb, or storage type), and bulb
Publications (green onions). Some states have recently
color within the fresh market class. Sweet
begun to focus on becoming onion-pro-
Resource Guide to onion types are most commonly marketed
ducing areas—especially sweet onions,
Organic and as fresh bulbs. In general, short day-length
for which there appears to be a growing
Sustainable onions are suitable for warm climates;
market. Wide year-to-year fl uctuations in
Vegetable
long day-length onions for those north-
Production onion acreage in the U.S. appear in USDA
ern regions that grow onions. Intermedi-
Economic Research Service reports going
Organic Garlic
ate length can be selected for intermedi-
back to 1961. (www.ers.usda.gov)
Production
ate zones, such as Oklahoma or the Central
NCAT’s Organic Valley of California. There is some produc- The U.S. exports onions and onion prod-
Crops Workbook tion of Vidalias as “green onions.” ucts to Canada, Australia, Germany, Japan,
Organic Marketing The Netherlands, South Africa, Sweden,
There are, of course, related wild allium
Resources and the United Kingdom. India, Peru,
species in North America, and these are
Sustainable and China are the major exporters to the
still gathered. In Tahlequah, Oklahoma,
Management of U.S. Signifi cant foreign competition from
home of the Western Cherokee Tribe, the
Soil-borne Plant Peru, especially with the South Texas sweet
Diseases “egg and wild onion supper” has a long onion crop, is expected in the future. China
tradition in the spring. Allium cernuum
Thrips Management exported $403 million of onions, shallots,
is the probable species of small, clumping
Alternatives in the garlic, and leeks in 2002—a 50 percent
Field onion. It should not be confused with A. increase over the preceding year. Alliums
vineale, or “crow bait,” a very strong-fl a-
Nematodes: are considered an area of vegetable pro-
vored native of Eurasia naturalized in North
Alternative Controls duction in which China will seek increasing
America, that usually occurs singly.
Flame Weeding for domination of U.S. and Asian markets. (3)
Agronomic Crops Onions are greatly affected by weeds,
According to NASS statistics, Mexico is
Energy Saving Tips insects, and diseases. One of the most the chief foreign source of green onions.
for Irrigators important challenges in onion production
There are strict grading standards; Mexi-
Measuring and today is how to produce onion crops in can dry storage onions and onions for pro-
Conserving Irrigation ways that are sustainable and environmen- cessing are allowed in if they meet the same
Water tally responsible while not losing the yields
(For more achieved by use of crop-protection chemi-
information, call cals as a substitute for costly hand labor.
800-346-9140) (1) Many alternative strategies have already
been implemented by the industry—espe-
cially in New York and California, where
there is some indication that insect pests
are becoming resistant to insecticides. In
Georgia, a 2002 trial of organically pro-
duced onions met with some success.
Six geographic areas have federal market
orders for onions, and onions are among
the top fi ve crops raised in two other states.
USDA market orders are initiated by
Figure 1. Bulb Shapes – 1. fl attened globe; 2. globe; 3.
growers and are renewable by vote of growers
high globe; 4. spindle; 5. Spanish; 6. fl at; 7. thick fl at;
every six years. 8. Granex; 9. top.
Page 2 ATTRA Organic Allium Production
standards of size and quality as the U.S. and Georgia short-day onions, at 11 to 12-
Fresh market imports of both green and dry hour day lengths. Short-day types are the
onions are more closely regulated. sweetest. The higher the pyruvic acid con-
tent, the more pungent the bulb.
Sweet onions grown for the fresh market
often have a state-sponsored identity—Walla Intermediate-day fresh market bulbs grown
Walla Sweets, South Georgia Vidalias, in the central California valley range from
Oklahoma Candy, etc.—and must be grown seven to nine percent soluble solid contents
in the specifi ed locality to bear the name. and 5 to 9 moles of pyruvic acid per Kg of
Regional growers search for other market- bulb. (5)
ing ideas conferring “perceived value.”
Long–day fresh market bulb onions range
from 8 to 12 percent soluble solids and 10 to
Marketing and Economics
20 moles of pyruvic acid per Kg of bulb. (5)
There is usually a direct correspondence Fresh-market bulb production is not charac-
between day-length sensitivity and the lati- teristic of Northern California and the infra-
tude where onions are produced, with short structure is not present.
day-length types being produced at lower
Federal marketing orders, initiated by a
latitudes. However, differences in this sen- Pyruvic acid
group of growers for a locality, set regu-
sitivity (as well as stand densities) can be
is a measure
lations for some commodities (currently
manipulated to produce specialty crops
including milk and some fruits and vegeta- of the sulfur
like pearl onions. Pearl onions are short-
bles). Marketing orders aim to match sup- content and is usu-
day types that can be grown in northern
ply with potential demand at prices refl ect-
ally dependent on
states (under the long days of summer) for
ing the costs of producing and marketing
early bulbing and pearl production. soil type.
the commodity by the typical well-managed
Dehydrator onions include both short-day fi rms in the industry. Regulations also set
and long-day varieties. Short-day vari- product standards to refl ect the interests
eties (Creole, Creoso, and Primero) are of consumers.
selected for their high dry matter con-
Currently, federal marketing orders for
tent with soluble solid contents ranging
onions currently exist for six U.S. geo-
from 15 to 25 percent. Long-day dehy-
graphic regions.
drators (Southport White Globe varieties)
have soluble solid contents ranging from • Vidalia Onions (GA)
20 to 25 percent. (5) Production is verti- • Garlic and Onions (CA)
cally integrated and the process is totally
• Sweet Onions (CA)
mechanized. The processer with whom the
• South Texas Onions
grower has a contract determines variet-
• Walla Walla Sweets (WA)
ies and often provides seed. The Univer-
sity of California has published a six-page • Idaho-Eastern Oregon Onions
bulletin on growing dehydrator onions.
The Georgia Department of Agriculture
(http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/pdf/7239.pdf)
publishes a list of recommended culti-
Fresh market bulb onions have the great- vars to be grown and marketed as Vidalia
onions, but any similar cultivar that meets
est number of varieties. Short-day types
certain guidelines can be used by Vidalia
are usually Grano or Granex-Grano and
growers. Recently, however, three experi-
include yellow, red, and white varieties.
mental cultivars partially derived from A.
“Imperial Sweet” and other short-day vari-
fi stulosum in an attempt to improve shallow
eties grown in Southern California range
from fi ve to seven percent soluble solid
content, 2 to 6 moles of pyruvic acid per
Defi nition: A marketing order is a legal mechanism under which regula-
Kg of bulb, and a high sugar to pyruvic
tions issued by the Secretary of Agriculture are binding upon all growers
acid ratio. California short-day varieties and handlers of the regulated product in a specifi c geographic area.
begin to bulb at 12 to 15-hour day lengths,
www.attra.ncat.org ATTRA Page 3
onion root systems were rejected as tend- on some Web sites are discussed below.
ing to have an “off” fl avor. The marketing Florida and Oklahoma budgets refl ect a
order regulates the shape of the Vidalia recent risk-benefi t assessment of onions
bulb (see Illustration, item no. 9). (4) as a potential crop, extrapolated from pro-
duction fi gures published in onion-produc-
In California there are fi ve recognized size
ing states. Costs to produce a crop in New
grades. At a packing shed or during fi eld
Mexico and Wisconsin were double those
packing, bulk trailer loads of onions cured
of some other states.
in the fi eld for three days to two weeks
are sorted. Packing grades are Colossal, University of California Vegetable Research
greater than 4 inches in diameter, Jumbo, and Information Center.
3 to 4 inches, Medium, 2 to 3 inches, http://vric.ucdavis.edu/selectnewcrop.
Repacks 1.5 to 2 inches, and Boilers, less onion.htm
than 1.5 inches.
Short-day onions, typically grown in the New Mexico
low desert and Central Valley, are pre- Onion Cost and Return Estimates
ferred by the onion ring industry (45 per- (NM) http://www.cahe.nmsu.edu/pubs/
An estimated cent of California production) because vari- _circulars/CR-603.pdf. Fixed costs 1 per-
49.4 billion eties such as Grano or Grano-Granex types cent. Variable costs double those of other
pounds of typically have only a single center and states due to irrigation.
numerous, thick fl eshy rings. Harvested
frozen onions are
Onion Production and Marketing in
slightly immature, they have a high sugar
produced annually
New Mexico. http://cahe.nmsu.edu/pubs/
to pyruvic acid ratio. The larger sizes are
in the U.S. _circulars/CIRC577.pdf
preferred. Fall-planted, short-day onions
are adapted to the desert regions of South-
Mississippi
ern California, although as transplants
Commercial Production of Bulb Onions
they can be grown up to a maximum lati-
tude of 36 degrees north. in Mississippi. http://msucares.com/pubs/
infosheets/is1506.htm
Onion production also supplies the fro-
zen food industry. A USDA publication
Washington
estimates that 49.4 billion pounds of fro-
Estimates Cost and Returns for Produc-
zen onions are produced annually in the
ing Onions, Columbia Basin, Washing-
U.S. In addition, many of the fresh-mar-
ton. http://farm.mngt.wsu.edu/Research/
ket onions, as well as high-solids dehy-
onions.htm
drator onions, produced in Washington
state are processed after export to Pacifi c
New York
Rim countries.
Crop Profi le: Onions in New York http://
Production Budgets pmep.cce.cornell.edu/fqpa/crop-profi les/
onion.html
A Michigan State Agricultural Extension
Publication comments that it is “relatively
Michigan
easy to get into and out of onion produc-
Cost of Onion Production in South-
tion, as the market is often saturated.”
ern Michigan. www.msu.edu/user/blackj/
http://web1.msue.msu.edu/imp/modsr/
staff_Paper_2002-37.pdf. 10 p.
sr599201.htm.
Production budgets (except in California, Georgia
where more processing is done) place fi xed Sweet Onion Production. http://pubs.
costs at between 1 percent and 11 percent caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubcd/B1198.htm.
for onions. Production budgets found 40 p.
Page 4 ATTRA Organic Allium Production
Two states looking at onion production
Florida
Alternative Opportunities for Small Farms: Bulb Onion Production [1998]
http://edis.ifas.ufl .edu/profi les/AC/AC00900.pdf
• 10 percent fi xed costs; 90 percent variable costs
Other constraints:
• severe freezes in recent years in northern Florida
• very labor intensive crop, needing good management skills
• need for machines—especially for planting and harvesting
• curing facilities for storage do not exist
• markets for fresh crop onions must be determined in advance
• capital intensive crop (initial investment costs high)
• potential for processing limited by lack of facilities
• existing harvesters for dry onions do not work for fresh onions
Oklahoma
Oklahoma Candy Onion Production (three related papers)
1) Projected Net Income, Price Risk, and Yield Risk [Based on fi eld trials with one cooperating
farmer in southeast Oklahoma]
http://pods.dasnr.okstate.edu/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-968/p_1005web.pdf
• Fixed costs for Oklahoma determined to be only 5 percent, variable costs 95 percent (for southeast
Oklahoma)
Advantages:
• National consumption of produce on the rise
• Success of Texas ‘Candy’ onion (intermediate day onion, did well in trials) a knockoff on
success of Georgia ‘Vidalia’
Disadvantages:
• Major challenges of weed control and foliar disease
• Assumption that ungraded product can be sold on fresh market within two weeks of harvest (to avoid curing,
processing, handling costs of Florida study, but does not answer contention that machinery available for har-
vesting dry onions cannot be used for fresh. May plan to use hand labor.)
2) Using Contracts to Reduce Marketing Risk; Applied Study of Oklahoma Onion Production
http://pods.dasnr.okstate.edu/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-2843/FAPC-131web.pdf
A farmer-friendly summary of the research study.
3) Recent Experience with Fresh Bulb Onion Production in Oklahoma. National Allium Research Conference (2004).
www.colostate.edu/Depts/CoopExt/TRA/Allium/Abstracts/RecExpFreshBulb.htm
Had to raise their own greenhouse starts for ‘Candy’ and ‘1015-Y.’ Found that ‘Candy’ had 11 percent bolting rate
(a culling rate not accounted for in previous crop budget calculations).
Suggested seed supplier was to blame.
www.attra.ncat.org ATTRA Page 5
Other Types of Bulb Onion Processing Onions
Crops Onions for dehydration (California)
• Apaz onion – a wild relative of • Dehydrator Bulb Onion Production
leek, a small bulb marketed with a (Voss) http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.
short green top. “ Apaz” has been edu/pdf/7239.pdf
recently promoted as an Oregon
• Onion Dehydration (John W. Lund
specialty crop. It is listed in the
and Paul L. Lienau) http://geo-
2005 The Packer yearbook. Only a
heat.oit.edu/pdf/tp86.pdf
very few companies sell seed for it,
Frozen onions
and no production information has
been published.
• Production of all types of frozen
• Cippolino onion – U.S. supplies onions is concentrated on the West
imported from Italy. Cipol is Span- Coast, with some companies doing
ish for “shallot,” but the Cippolino a broad range of operations—every-
onion of commerce is a small red- thing from fresh-peeled to frozen
dish true onion; A. cepa. The rings. A fl edging frozen onion ring
Packer suggests marketing Cippo- operation in Pecos, Texas, closed in
lino onions as part of an Italian cui- 2002 when a competitor bought the
sine display. operation and consolidated it with
an existing facility in Nebraska,
• “Boiler” onions are marketed as a
which had in 1985 initiated onion
specialty item. A boiler onion is sim-
and potato processing as a value-
ply the smallest of fi ve recognized
added rural development strategy.
sizes of fresh market onions in Cali-
Growers in Oswego County, New
fornia, defi ned as smaller than 1.5-
York, in response to poor sales of
inches in diameter. The Packer
fresh onions due to nationwide over-
recommends including boilers as
production in 2005, have proposed
part of Hispanic produce displays.
to spend $2.9 million on a frozen
onion processing plant to help the
local economy.
Onions for seed (California)
• Onion Seed Production for Cali-
fornia. http://anrcallog.ucdavis.edu/
pdf/8008.pdf
In minor onion-growing areas,
onion seed is often produced by
commercial growers in a separate
Green Onions
field away from the commercial
onion crop. For various reasons,
Pearl onions are produced by plant- growers prefer to produce com-
ing a short-day onion in a north- mercial onion crops from trans-
ern latitude. They are produced in plants, rather than seed. Care must
North Dakota, Minnesota, and Wash- be taken to avoid seed-borne dis-
ington. An Extension bulletin by the eases. A recommended strategy is
North Willamette Research and Exten- to raise seed in a fi eld where alli-
sion Center is a good source of fur- ums have never been grown before.
ther information. Pearl onions are Transplants are produced from the
often pickled or otherwise processed. seed and then precision set in the
http://oregonstate.edu/Dept/NWREC/ commercial field. For details of
onionprl.html seed production in California (the
Page 6 ATTRA Organic Allium Production
number one U.S. onion producing Common home garden types such as Egyp-
region), see the UC-Davis publica- tian onions and multiplier onions are NOT
tion. Commercial onion seed is pro- used for commercial green onion produc-
duced also in the Columbia Basin tion, but may sometimes be found in farm-
region in Washington. ers’ markets in the spring. For a complete
description of how commercial green onions
Green Onions are produced, see http://oregonstate.edu/
Dept/NWREC/oniongr.html. Green onions
(Scallions, Bunching Onions)
imported from Mexico have come under
Bunching onions may be produced from increasing scrutiny in recent years because
immature, thickly planted white onion of outbreaks of bacterial illness traced to
varieties of Allium cepa and from Allium such imports.
fistulosum (commonly known as Japa-
nese bunching types), or, rarely, from an
interspecifi c hybrid of cepa x fi stulosum.
Allium fistulosum varieties are often
referred to as “Welsh” onion, derived
from the German word “welsche,” mean-
ing foreign.
Green bunching onions are known by sev-
eral names depending on the region of
the country. Some of the names used are
“scallions,” “green onions,” and “spring
onions.” All these terms can be used for Yellow Storage Onions
www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/cropsystems/
immature onions, but in reality, the “green
DC7060.html
bunching onion” of commerce is most
likely a different species from that of the
Ohio ranks seventh in the country in green
bulb onion. Green onions today are most
onion acreage. Onion maggot is a serious
often Allium fi stulosum, which is further
pest on green onions in Ohio, but a new
classifi ed into four taxonomic groups. For
seed treatment with cyromazine, an insect
a complete description, refer to “Alliums
growth regulator, shows promise. (6) For
and Allied Crops,” Vol. III by H. Rabi-
more information on green onion produc-
nowitch and D. Brewster.
tion in Ohio, see the USDA Crop Profi le
A considerable amount of Allium cepa (the http://pestdata.ncsu.edu/CropProfi les/docs/
regular bulb onion) is still used for green OHonions-green.html.
onion production under certain conditions
Other Extension bulletins on green onion
and in certain areas. Allium cepa can be
production:
planted thickly and harvested immature
for this purpose. An example is “Vida- • Green Onion Production in Califor-
lia” scallions produced in Southeast Geor- nia (Voss). http://vric.ucdavis.edu/veg-
gia from Grano-Granex types. Bunching info/commodity/onion/oniongrn.pdf
onions are harvested at pencil-thickness
• Commercial Green Onion Produc-
and sold in bunches.
tion (Georgia). http://pubs.caes.
One can identify the species by looking care- uga.edu/caespubs/pubcd/C821.htm.
fully at the bottom of the green leaves near About Vidalia green onion produc-
where they turn white. If the leaf cross sec- tion governed by a federal market-
tion is “D”-shaped (or has a fl at side), it is ing order. In 2003, higher prices
A. cepa. If “O” or round, it is A. fi stulosum. for Vidalias pushed the value of
http://oregonstate.edu/Dept/NWREC/ onion production up by more than
oniongr.html 50 percent.
www.attra.ncat.org ATTRA Page 7
• Green Bunching Onions. NWREC/shallot.html. Also see the Univer-
http://oregonstate.edu/Dept/NWREC/ sity of Florida Extension bulletin: http://
oniongr.html edis.ifas.ufl .edu/pdffi les.MV/MV13300.pdf.
Garden Medicinals and Culinaries is
• Green Bunching Onion Produc-
a source of bulbs of shallots and other
tion www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/
multiplier onions.
hil18.html
• Growing Scallions (Green Onions) Leeks (A. ampeloprasum)
for Market Gardeners, NF04-607.
Leeks, which require a cool to moderate cli-
http://ianrpubs.unl.edu/epublic/page/
mate and a growing season of 80 to 100
publicationD.jsp?publicationID=245
days, are a very minor specialty crop in
• Crop Profi le for Onions (Green) in the U.S., as market demand is not nearly as
Ohio (1999), 7 p. http://pestdata. large as in northern Europe. Commercial
ncsu.edu/CropProfi les/docs/ production centers in the Pacifi c Northwest
OHonions-green.html Willamette Valley and Oregon Coast, where
both the transplants and mature crops are
Other Allium Crops
grown. Field seeding is not recommended.
Shallots are
Transplants are often set into 3 to 4 inch
Shallots (A. cepa ‘aggregatum’)
affected by holes in order to produce the long white
University of Florida Extension says that
the same dis- stems desired in the market. The major pest
U.S. commercial shallot production is
eases as onions. on leeks is thrips. In 2004 a viral infec-
established only in southern Louisiana,
tion began to show up on garlic in Wash-
but this may be a reference to the “Giant
ington State. The “leek yellow stripe virus”
white shallot” identifi ed by Rabinowitch
was implicated. For more information,
and Kamenetsky (1) as a cross between
see www.seedquest.com/News/releases/2005/
“the bulbous shallot and Japanese bunch-
february/11388.htm.
ing onion, A. fi stulosum,” resulting in an
amphidiploid plant that is heat-tolerant and For information on commercial leek produc-
prolifi c with only a short dormancy period. tion, see Oregon State University Vegetable
Red shallots are one of the top imports from Production Guides http://oregonstate.edu/
France. Shallot is a perennial that produces Dept/NWREC/leek.html
a cluster of small, pointed bulbs from a sin-
So-called “elephant garlic” (A. ampelopra-
gle planted bulb. Bulbs may be of vary-
sum) is actually a leek. Very large bulbs
ing color, but the French Red is the only
of this leek relative are marketed as a mild
shallot of commercial importance. Other
“garlic.” There are a number of named cul-
types may be found occasionally in local
tivars, as this is a popular crop in some
markets and home gardens, as are vari-
regions. As noted above, the “Apaz” onion
ous related types of white multiplier onions.
is a specifi c type of leek.
Oregon State University notes that planting
stock is diffi cult to obtain in large quanti-
Are Onion Crops Alternative?
ties, but offers trial quantities of “true shal-
lot seeds” sourced from a Dutch company Onion crops cannot be considered “alter-
to growers in Oregon. Either dry bulbs or native”; they are well-established, major
bulbs with foliage are marketed. Shal- U.S. crops with defi nite marketing chan-
lots are affected by the same diseases as nels for different types. Some states spon-
onions and should not be planted where any sor research or legislate to protect a “logo”
related crop has been grown before. They or name in order to gain an edge in the
are also affected by harmful nematodes. market. States have even been known to
Oregon State University Vegetable Pro- commercialize a “new” allium for the same
duction Guides has published complete purpose. As a testament to efforts of the
information on commercial production of National Onion Association and state and
shallots, http://oregonstate.edu/Dept/ regional associations, U.S. onion consump-
Page 8 ATTRA Organic Allium Production
tion rose from 12.2 pounds per person in in sandy, low-sulfur soils and tested for high
1982 to 18 pounds per person in 2002. (7) sugar content, low pyruvic acid, and mellow
fl avor. Grown in the Southern Hemisphere,
Surplus commercially grown onions that
they fi t an off-season niche for U.S. markets
do not meet size criteria may be donated
for fresh, non-storage onions. They will
to food banks or other feeding programs,
also keep busy the Seattle packing facilities
although those with physiological defects or
operated by another member of the consor-
disease are usually culled soon after har-
tium. The new consortium hopes to promote
vest. Although imports are increasing, there
sweet onions to the food service trade as a
is no domestic shortfall in onion production.
salad bar item. For more information see
Vidalia growers in Georgia have recently
the September 26 issue of The Packer and
been told to look for export markets for up
the article by Tom Burfi eld.
to half of their crop. Large, perfect yel-
low onions typically retail for three pounds
for a dollar. Farmers markets sell slightly
smaller sizes of whatever type they have
available for about a dollar a pound. Local
farmers’ markets always have a few onions
for sale, especially in the spring. Commu-
nity Supported Agriculture (CSA) organiza-
tions like to provide some onions in the late
fall as part of a “root vegetable share.”
Contrary to marketing order specifi cations,
smaller sizes of onions are ideal for the one-
person household now so prevalent in the
U.S. Once cut, a large onion will keep for
only a limited time in the refrigerator. How-
ever, there is a market demand for fresh,
whole peeled onions. Yellow Storage Onions in Minnesota
Cornell University is a leader in innovative
alternative marketing for onions and other
The October 10, 2005 issue of The Packer
vegetable crops. Cornell University’s Smart
had disturbing news for the South Texas
Marketing series (http://hortmgt.aem.cornell.
onion industry. “Shipments of Peruvian
edu/smart_marketing) and related materials
onions to the U.S. and Canada continue to
recommend 1) expansion of agri-tourism,
gain momentum.” Peru has ideal rich soils
2) agricultural awareness programs, and
in a wide range of microclimates at varying
3) ag-based economic development initia-
altitudes, irrigated by water from the Andes,
tives as key to promoting sales of New York
to produce more and more sweet onions for
commodity vegetables, including onions.
fresh market. est and disease buildups are
(http://hortmgt.aem.cornell.edu/pdf/resources/
absent, as this is largely a cool, dry, desert
NYvegmarketingneeds.pdf)
area only recently put into large-scale agri-
A very recent development in onion market- culture for export. Peruvian sweet onions are
ing is the formation of a consortium of U.S. now being actively marketed as a “high-qual-
and foreign growers of sweet onions. Sweet ity sweet onion whose taste meets or exceeds
Clover Produce, Seattle, Washington, is a expectations year-round.” Peruvian onions
new cooperative formed to provide year- usually rate from 3.5 to 4.5 on the pyruvic
round sweet onion supplies to the food trade. scale, which measure sulfuric compounds.
For eight months of the year Bland Farms’ Vidalias score 2 to 4.3, and Texas 1015s
“Peruvian sweet onions” will be marketed; rate 3.7 to 4.5. The South Texas indus-
the other four months Walla Walla Sweets try is most at risk for direct competition
and Vidalias. Peruvian onions are grown from Peru. Peru ideal for sweet onions;
www.attra.ncat.org ATTRA Page 9
Retailers, suppliers working together. Oct. in October and November. An extended
10. p. B5. In a development that has shaken warm period following planting produces
the Texas Produce Association, a large pro- a larger overwintering plant (more than
duce company in the Rio Grande Valley of one-fourth-inch shank diameter), which
Texas closed and was noted on p. 1 of the results in a high percentage of bolting when
same issue. Starr Produce marketed South exposed to extended temperatures below 50
Texas onions. The company has converted degrees Farenheit. Some cultivars may be
to a real estate development fi rm and will more prone to bolting than others. (Note the
build on its agricultural land. (9) experience of Oklahoma researchers with
‘Candy,’ above.)
Soil Fertility and Climate
In southern states onions are likely to
Onions require fertile, well-drained, non- be raised from transplants; in New York
crusting soils, and are often produced in State, most are direct seeded. Short-
muck soils, although sandy loams high in day Vidalia onions in Georgia are always
mineral content are also favored. Heavy raised from transplants.
clay soils should be avoided. A slightly
acid pH in the 6.0–6.8 range is optimum. Short-day onions can be grown from both
Growing
seed and transplants; however, growing
Onions require substantial amounts of
onions onions directly from seed has largely been
nutrients. Foliar fertilization is not rec-
abandoned because of several problems.
directly ommended for some parts of the country,
First, onion seed is very small and requires
from seed has although many growers use this method adequate, even moisture during the critical
largely been aban- for applications of necessary trace ele- germination process. This is diffi cult to pro-
ments during the growing season. Ideally, vide during the extremely hot and dry con-
doned because of
ditions of the September/October planting
nutrients will be in place in the soil before
several problems. season in South Georgia. The center-pivot
the crop is planted. Soil tests should
irrigation systems common to this area are
be done as a guide to fertilizer applica-
not designed to deliver the one-tenth inch
tions. Soil pH may determine availabil- of water several times a day that may be
ity of critical elements such as sulfur and required to produce a stand of onions over
boron. The amount of sulfur present will an entire fi eld. Finally, direct-seeded onions
in South Georgia are more prone to bolting
affect pungency, but some sulfur is nec-
or developing seed stems. This is particularly
essary even in producing sweet onions.
true when seeded early (September and early
For Vidalia and other sweet, fresh market
October) and cold weather comes in the lat-
onions, elements affecting fl avor must be ter part of the season, particularly in March.
carefully controlled. Direct seeding onions in late October or
early November to avoid seed stem develop-
ment may not give the plants suffi cient time
Planting Systems
to develop and withstand potential frost and
Fall planting. Fall planting for a win- freezing temperatures. (8)
ter onion crop in Georgia greatly reduces
weed, insect, and disease problems, but
An additional reason to use transplants is
may increase incidence of physiological
more uniform spacing, leading to more uni-
problems due to freezing, wind, and hail
formity in onion size and fewer physiologi-
damage. Bolting, or seed stalk formation,
cal anomalies.
occurs only from fall-planted onions grown
through the winter for spring harvest. The Spring planting. In Oregon’s Willamette Val-
size of the overwintering plant and its expo- ley onion growers plant only in the spring,
sure to cold temperatures are the most crit- though in some other onion areas both fall
ical factors in determining whether or not and spring-planted onions are grown. In
the plant will bolt due to a warm spell of North Dakota onions are not seeded until
45 to 50 degrees during the winter. Early April or May, since seed will not germi-
plantings in late August and September are nate below 50–55 degrees Fahrenheit soil
more likely to bolt than are later plantings temperature. Although harvested in late
Page 10 ATTRA Organic Allium Production