W.B. Evans. Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center

Muck Crops Branch, Willard, OH 44890

The 1998 long day onion trial consisted of four plots each of 10 entries grown at the O.A.R.D.C. Muck Crops Branch in Willard, OH and one plot each of 33 observational entries. Each plot contained 3 rows, 20 ft. long and 19 in. apart. Plots were spring plowed and fertilized with 700 lb. 16-8-26. Plots were sown April 29 at approximately 12 seeds/ft. A cover crop of wheat (1 bu./acre) was broadcast after the onions were sown. An in-furrow insecticide was applied at planting and standard pest management practices were used during the season. Calcium nitrate (53 lb. N/acre) was broadcast on June 23. Manganese (4 lb./acre) was sprayed on the foliage July 28. The plots were subject to four flooding rains during production, each resulting in standing water for at least 12 hours. A fast developing outbreak of foliar disease followed a flooding rain in late July, likely contributing to our disappointing yields. Fungicide treatments continued and all but one cultivar continued to grow toward the time of bulbing. Thrips were well controlled. Onion maggot damage was negligible. Weed pressure was also well managed. Overhead irrigation was used in May and between heavy rains when needed.

The crop was harvested the week of September 14, air cured, and stored for 8 weeks. Bulbs were then graded, weighed, and counted. Few large bulbs (>3.5 inches) were produced by any cultivar. These were not separated from the 2-3.5 inch onions during grading. A ten bulb sample of bulbs larger than 2 inches was retained and rated qualitatively for color, shape, and scale retention.

The best performing entries in the replicated trial tended to be those already grown locally including Burgos and Daytona (Table 1). Frontier yielded well but did not hold its scales well during curing. Athos and Corona may have sized better had the season been more suited to longer season entries. Other replicated entries appeared to have lower yield potential or other quality faults. Mars, the only red entry in the replicated trial, performed worse than both red entries in the observational trial.

Table 1. Dry onion cultivar characteristics at grading of replicated plots.