Transplanted Onion Variety Trial

Sam McClure, Grower Cooperator

J. Shrefler, C. Webber and M. Taylor

Introduction and Objectives

During the past few years vegetable producers within the state have voiced interest in the production of onions for local markets. One issue that producers have is the lack of varietal performance data that has been available to assist them in the selection of the highest quality and highest yielding cultivars for Oklahoma conditions. A transplanted variety trial was completed to provide producers with information on bulb size and overall yield.

 Methods and Materials

A transplanted onion variety trial was completed utilizing 21 different onion cultivars including yellow and red cultivars. Trial cultivars were seeded in the greenhouse in either early or mid November of 2001 and transplanted to the field on 4/04/02 (Table 1). Plants were spaced six inches apart in single row beds; beds being on three feet centers. Plant density was approximately 29,000 plants per acre. The trial was harvested on 7/09/02 and data were recorded for three different bulb size classes and overall yield in pounds.

Transplanted onion variety trial, Lane, OK, 2002. J. Shrefler, C. Webber and M. Taylor and Sam

McClure, Grower Cooperator. Harvest data.

                                               

                                        Onions per sample of 10 bulbs by diameter

 

 

 

Number

 

   Percent

   

 

 

A

B

C

A

 B

 C

 Yield / acre

(lbs.)

 

 

1 Legend

6.0

1.3
 

0

82

18

0

3905

 

 

2 YellowGraflex

2.3

 1.7

0

57

43

0

1972

 

 

3 Cimmaron

2.0

6.0

1.7

21

61

17

10883

 

 

4 Rumba(R)

0.7

7.3
 

1

7

80

12

9447

 

 

5 Sweet Sunrise

3.3

2.3

 1

60

30

10

4979

 

 

6 Sherita

8.7

0.3

0

96

4

0

2953

 

 

7 Sweet Advantage

7.7

0.7
 

0

91

9

0

2736

 

 

8 Georgia Boy

4.3

2.0

0

68

31

0

2845

 

 

9 DPS 1032

5.7

 1.0

0

82

17

0

3036

 

 

10 Southern Honey

3.3

2.7
 

0

52

48

0

3028

 

 

11 Sweet Magnolia

1.7

6.7

0.7

18

74

7

8905

 

 

l2Southern Belle

6.3

 2.3

0

72

28

0

4522

 

 

13DPSX 1044

5.0

2.3

0

68

32

0

3415

 

 

14 Phoenix

4.7

1.3 

0

78

22

0

3063

 

 

l5Timon

7.3

2.3

0

75

25

0

5780

 

 

16 DPS 1051

0.3

2.7

5.3

5

33

62

13678

 

 

17 Arizona Sunset (R)

4.3

4.3

0.7

47

46

7

7000

 

 

18 Ferrari (R)

6.7

0.3

0

94

5

0

2647

 

 

19DPSX3O2O(R)

2.0

4.0

3

24

43

33

7885

 

 

20 DPSX 3040 (R)

6.3

1.7

0

77

23

0

2917

 

 

21 DPS3033(R)

2.0

6.0 

1.3

21

66

13

7962

 

 

ISD 005

 

  3.0

2.29

1.5

32

31

14

2750

 

 

1 Bulb diameter size classes: A=2inches or smaller, B=2 to 3 inches, C= 3 to 4 inches.

 

2 Decayed onions excluded from size evaluation so total may be less than 10.

 

~        (R) indicates red bulb color

Onions seeded in greenhouse; Entries 1-16 Nov. 12, 2001 and 17-21 Nov. 28.

Transplanted:       April 4, 2002. Plants were generally 3/8 inch in diameter or less.

Harvested:           July 9, 2002

Planted on 1.5 feet wide beds on 3 foot centers. One row planted per bed. Plants spaced 6 inches within the row. Planting density approximately 29,000 plants per acre.

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