ISHS Acta Horticulturae 247: Research and Development Conference on Vegetables, the Market and the Producer
IRRIGATION AND BULB ONION QUALITY |
| Author: | B. Chung |
| Abstract:
The effects of irrigation on the yield, size grade distribution, bulb quality, chemical composition and storage of bulb onions were studied in 1985–86 and 1987–88 on the north west coast of Tasmania. Applying irrigation throughout the season increased total bulb yield from 52 to 84 t/ha while withholding the last two irrigations prior to maturity reduced 51–70 mm bulb yield from 57 to 44 t/ha. Irrigation affects total bulb yield by influencing the size grade distribution. In this study, irrigation had no effects on the incidence of bulb defects such as skin cracking, doubles and thickneck, but increased the level of wastage during storage. There was a trend for irrigation to decrease the bulb dry matter content but increase the 'hardness' of these bulbs. Irrigation had no effects on the chemical composition of bulbs. However, these latter trends would need further confirmation. | |
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