| Arable
New onion varieties
show potential to
improve productivity
Growers could be achieving up to 30 tonnes per hectare
more in yields of both set and drilled crops by selecting
the best performing varieties, latest onion variety trials
show.
osses from waste
in storage, as a
result of rot, could
also be reduced
by up to 60 per
cent in some
varieties of brown and red onions
in cold storage conditions,
resulting in more efficient harvests.
The trials, jointly funded by
AHDB and seed companies, also
identified that the variety Santero
offers good resistance to downy-
mildew as well as good storage
potential. Mildew-resistant varieties
require less costly plant protection
products and are a useful tool for
sustainable crop protection as well
as a valuable addition for organic
growers.
L
“While yield data is important
for growers when selecting
varieties, other factors also
need to be considered to
increase productivity.”
Dawn Teverson, Knowledge
Exchange Manager at AHDB, said:
“While yield data is important for
growers when selecting varieties,
other factors also need to be
considered to increase
productivity.
“These trials offer valuable
objective data on maturity, so
growers can stagger the harvest
season; storage potential which
can reduce waste and help to
balance supply and demand; as
well as disease resistance to help
growers with long-term and
sustainable integrated crop
management.”
Sam Rix, Technical Director of
P.G. Rix Farms, said: “We use the
mildew results to inform decision
making on variety suitability to
fields that may be more prone to
downy mildew infection. The early
plant vigour data is also a useful
guide to aid variety selection on
potentially weedy sites.”
Bruce Napier, project lead from
NIAB, said: “One of the primary
objectives is to asses