ISHS Acta Horticulturae 694: International Symposium on Harnessing the Potential of Horticulture in the Asian-Pacific Region
YIELD AND MATURITY OF NEW RELEASED RED ONION CULTIVARS IN NEW SOUTH WALES |
| Authors: | M.A. Quadir, A Boulton |
| Keywords: | Allium cepa, cultivars, total soluble solids |
| Abstract:
Red onion is mainly used as salad and for cooking and decorative purpose. Early cultivars, which can be harvested prior to Christmas, are needed to meet the peak demand of red onion during that time of year in New South Wales. Australian seed companies have released new cultivars ready for harvest around December. An evaluation trial was conducted in Whitton, NSW during 2002/03 season to examine yield and maturity of five new released red onion cultivars-‘Red Rock’, ‘Red Rojo’, ‘K-5179’, ‘Red Shine’ and ‘Redback’. The trial was conducted according to randomised complete block design with three replications. Harvest date, bulb yield and quality were recorded. Red Shine produced the highest marketable yield (35.86 t/ha) along with similar yield produced by Redback (35.63 t/ha), Red Rojo (34.57 t/ha) and K-5179 (31.53 t/ha). Red Rock was earliest in maturity which was harvested on 26 November and was followed by Red Rojo and K-5179 which were harvested on 6 December. K-5179 had the biggest sized bulb. Bulbs of all the cultivars had the similar level of total soluble solids. In general all cultivars had good keeping quality. Red Rock bulbs had very little spoilage compared to others. Therefore it was concluded from the trial that all the evaluated red onion cultivars are suitable for production in NSW with reasonably good yield. However the results indicate that the cultivars -‘Red Rock’, ‘Red Rojo’ and ‘K-5179’ were the early maturing ones to be harvested before Christmas. | |
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