Oakes Irrigation Research Site
Carrington Research Extension Center * North Dakota State University
P.O. Box 531, Oakes, ND 58474-0531, Voice: (701) 742-2744, FAX: (701) 742-2700, E-mail: Walter.Albus@ndsu.edu

W. Albus, L. Besemann and H. Eslinger

Figure 1. Onion maturity versus days to half down.

Figure 2. Onion maturity versus yield.

Table 1. Maturity, yield, total onions and stand of onions in the Oakes Irrigation Research Site 2007 onion performance trial.

Onions grow well in North Dakota. Growers are producing mostly yellow sweet Spanish onions and some storage onions. This study evaluated 24 onion hybrids.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Soil:	Embden loam; pH=7.0; 3.0% organic matter; soil-P and soil-K were very high, and soil-S was low.
Previous crops:	2006 - wheat; 2005 - cabbage; 2004 - field corn.
Seedbed preparation:	Strip till fall of 2006.
Planting:	Direct seeded onions (285,000 seeds/acre) on April 24 with a Monosem precision planter. Planted onions with 2 lines per row, 2.5 inches between lines, with the rows on 16-inch centers.
Plots:	Plots were 3 ft (two rows) wide by 17 ft long. The study had 4 reps.
Fertilizer:	November 2006, broadcast 9 lbs N/acre, 43 lbs P₂O₅/acre, 101 lbs K₂O/acre and 13 lbs S/acre as 11-52-0, 0-0-60 and 90% elemental Sulfur. April 30 applied 30 lbs N/acre as 28-0-0. Sidedressed 30 lbs N/acre as 32-0-0 on June 5, June 20, June 28 and July 13.
Irrigation:	Overhead sprinkler irrigation as needed.
Pest control:	Weeds were controlled using Dacthal (10 lbs/acre) and Glyphosate (1 qt/acre) + NIS (0.5% v/v) + AMS (1 lb/10 gal) on April 27; Fusilade (10 oz/acre) + NIS (0.5% v/v) on May 9; Goaltender (4 oz/acre) on May 24, June 4 and June 14; Select (8 oz/acre) + COC (1.0% v/v) on June 4; Prowl (1½ pt/acre) on June 5; Buctril (1 pt/acre) + Goal (4 oz/acre) on June 22), Fusilade (12 oz/acre) + NIS (0.5% v/v) on July 25 and hand weeding. Quadris (8 oz/acre) on July 25 and Quadris (12 oz/acre) on August 8 and August 24, Pyraclostrobin (12 oz/acre) on August 3 and August 16 for disease control. Lorsban (4 qt/acre) on May 16 for root maggots.
Harvest:	Onions were pulled on September 5 and were allowed to field dry until September 14 when they were bagged and moved to a shed. Onions were graded September 27 to October 17.

RESULTS

Hybrid had a significant effect on the yield of all onion sizes, except for those greater than 4-inch. The amount of cull onions was also affected by hybrid. The number of days from planting to when half the onions had fallen over and percent of single center bulbs were also significant. Seed company’s maturity ratings relate fairly well in our location as shown in (Figure 1), maturity rating and half down days are correlated at r = 0 53. Total onion yield and maturity rating are correlated at r = 0.49 and is presented in (Figure 2).

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Figure 1. Onion maturity versus days to half down at the Oakes Irrigation Research Site, 2007.

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Figure 2. Onion maturity versus yield at the Oakes Irrigation Research Site, 2007.

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Table 1. Maturity, yield, total onions and stand of onions in the Oakes Irrigation Research Site 2007 onion performance trial.

Hybrid	Seed	Maturity	Days to	Onion yield (by bulb size)					Total	Culls	Single	Total
Hybrid	Source¹	Days	Half down²	>4"	3½ to 4"	3 to 3½"	2¼ to 3”	1 to 2¼”	Total	Culls	Center³	bulbs
				---------------------------------cwt/acre-----------------------------------							%	1000's/ac
7404	NU		100	0	56	254	260	23	592	27	80	146
BGS 231	BE	115	118	4	67	236	200	22	529	61	30	138
Calibra	BE	115	110	7	82	226	173	25	514	105	27	139
Caveat	SM	110	114	0	48	174	147	23	392	102	33	118
Caveat - B	SM	110	111	6	58	216	188	35	503	73	43	140
Centerstone	AT	110	116	7	80	328	203	26	644	60	50	155
Cinch	BE	118	122	0	121	339	169	13	643	89	47	152
Citation	SM	115	104	0	27	240	294	23	586	44	50	157
Crockett	BE	118	119	8	94	381	157	9	648	93	68	150
Delgado	BE	118	113	13	173	322	201	14	723	80	47	152
Derby	BE	95	109	0	31	138	194	41	403	129	20	148
Gazelle	SM	110	110	0	8	117	275	60	460	18	47	149
Grand Coulee	NU	118	115	0	56	282	199	24	561	37	93	136
Gunnison	BE	110	109	3	128	309	182	19	642	45	60	151
Infinity	NU	110	110	6	57	338	181	12	594	48	73	137
Nebula	NU	105	107	0	61	311	204	21	596	40	63	148
Peso	BE	120	116	7	71	309	185	14	586	100	40	150
Safrane	BE	106	109	0	91	322	192	23	627	46	50	151
Sedona	BE	120	118	0	194	308	158	13	674	76	57	146
Talon	BE	110	108	0	67	316	221	17	622	43	60	147
Tamara	BE	112	109	0	27	288	275	22	611	44	50	154
Teton	SM	115	110	4	119	205	195	42	565	40	37	146
Teton - B	SM	115	111	10	111	174	190	42	527	30	50	139
Tioga	SM	118	110	0	85	299	158	22	564	75	63	143
Varsity	GG	110	111	11	137	331	167	16	662	85	63	149
Varsity - B	GG	110	110	0	104	308	173	27	612	45	67	143
XP5875	SM	95	108	0	15	143	253	44	455	28	33	143

MEAN			111	3	80	267	200	25	575	62	52	145
C.V. (%)			2.4	219.6	40.4	15.6	18.1	37.4	7.5	37.1	29.2	6
LSD (0.05)			4	NS	53	68	59	15	71	37	25	14

¹See Appendex A for a list of seed sources.

²Days from planting to when half the onion tops have fallen over. This is an indication of maturity.

³Percentage of onions with single centers from ten large onions selected at random

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