2003 Western Colorado Onion Variety Trials
Yield Report
Dr. Curtis E. Swift, Area Extension Agent (Horticulture), and A. Wayne Cooley, Extension Agent (Soil and Crop Science) (deceased)
Purpose:
Colorado is 5th in the United States in storage onion production, with 84,000 hundred weight harvested in 2001 having a value of 43 million dollars. Yield and bulb size are key to the income received by the grower. Consequently research that generates such data is critical to the grower's success as an onion producer.
The 2003 Western Colorado onion variety trials provide the grower the following:
1. Which varieties are best suited for Western Colorado conditions,2. Which varieties produce the highest yield, and3. Which produce the bulb size for the market the grower is targeting.
Seed companies participating in these trials likewise benefit from data produced. These replicated trials were conducted in commercial onion fields under two different growing situations.
Materials and Methods:
Plots were in commercial onion fields planted and maintained by Brent Hines (Delta County) and Duane Homewood (Montrose County). Seed dealers participating in this trial (Table 1) specified where each variety would be planted (Delta or Montrose site). The growing season at the Montrose site was 95 - 110 days; the growing season at the Delta county field varied from 110 - 120 days. Varieties examined but not listed in Table 1 were included at the cooperator's request.
Table 1: Varieties included in this trial
| Variety |
Seed Company |
Length of growing Season |
Type of Onion |
| Frontier T‑400 |
American Takii |
97 |
Export |
| Tequila (DPS 1062) |
Palmer |
115-120 |
Hybrid - Long Day Spanish Yellow |
| Mesquite (DPS 1063) |
Palmer |
115-120 |
Hybrid - Long Day Spanish Yellow |
| DPSX1171 |
Palmer |
116 |
Full Spanish |
| DPSX1172 |
Palmer |
116 |
Full Spanish |
| Gunnison |
Bejo |
|
|
| BGS 167 |
Bejo |
|
|
| Delgado |
Bejo |
125 |
Spanish Storage |
| Expression |
Bejo |
98 |
Intermediate |
| Seahawk |
Seminis |
114 |
Spanish Storage |
| 15192 |
Seminis |
110 |
Spanish Storage? |
| Golden Spike |
Seminis |
103 |
Intermediate |
| Tioga |
Seminis |
118 |
Spanish Storage |
| Genesis |
Crookham |
95-100 |
Yellow Northern Storage hybrid |
| OLYH99-2900 |
Crookham |
|
|
| Sweet Perfection |
Crookham | 120-125 |
Golden Brown Spanish hybrid |
| Granero | Sunseed | 115-118 | Long Day (Spanish Type) |
| Sabroso | Sunseed | 110-115 | Long Day (Hard Globe Western Type) |
| Tesoro | Sunseed | 110-115 | Long Day (Spanish Type) |
| EM 635 | Emerald Seed | ||
| EM 702 | Emerald Seed |
A randomized complete block design with each variety replicated four times was utilized in this study. Plots were 35 feet in length with two lines of the same variety of onion planted per bed. Bed spacing was 30 and 34 inches for the Montrose and Delta sites, respectively.
Planting was done at the Delta County and Montrose County sites on March 29 and April 1, respectively. Coated seed was planted with cooperator's equipment; uncoated seed was planted by hand. The Montrose plots were harvested on September 16; the Delta plots on September 19.
Data were collected from two ten-foot lines of onions between 5 feet and 15 feet from the head of each plot. The number of bulbs and total bulb weight in kilograms was recorded for Colossal, Jumbo, Medium, and Prepack/Boiler-size onion bulbs. A grading table provided by Dr. Howard Schwartz, Professor, Department of Bioagricultural Sciences and Pest Management, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, was used to delineate bulb size. For analysis purposes, data from both lines of onion were averaged for each plot and converted to hundredweight per acre (CWT/A).
Results:
The statistical differences among varieties are indicated in Tables 2 & 3 by the letter(s) which follow each yield. Percentages followed by the same letter are statistically identical in regard to yield or bulb weight. In this trial, "a" indicates the highest yield (CWT/A) or greatest weight per bulb (kgs). The percentage of the total for each bulb size is also provided in parentheses ( ). NS means there were no statistical differences among the varieties.
There were no significant differences among the varieties for the colossal, medium and prepack/boiler size onion bulbs harvested at the Hines site. Significant differences in yield were noted at the 0.05 level of probability for 'Total Marketable' and 'Jumbo-sized' bulbs at this site. A probability level of 0.05 means that these same results would occur 95 times out of 100 trials.
There was no significant different in Colossal-sized bulbs at the Homewood site. However, total marketable yield, jumbo, medium and prepack/boiler size-bulbs were significantly different for the various varieties. These differences were at the 0.01 level of probability, meaning that if this test was run 100 times, the same results would occur 99 times.
Discussion:
This trial examined 21 onion varieties at two sites in the onion producing areas ofWestern Colorado. The comparisons made provide data with which onion growers can determine the variety(ies) best suited to their market niche. This data is also valuable to seed companies in the development of markets for those varieties examined. Further studies of this nature will assist area growers and seed company personnel in their onion variety selection process.
Acknowledgments:
Without the help of Jerry Hines and Duane Homewood and their staff these plots would not have been possible. They were responsible for planting, cultivation, irrigation and many other cultural tasks. Tri River Area Master Gardeners devoted considerable time assisting in planting, harvesting and collecting data. American Takii, Inc. , D. Palmer Seed CO. , Inc. , Bejo Seeds, Inc., Seminis Vegetable Seeds, Sunseed, Emerald Seed, and Crookham Company provided seed and financial support for these trials. Financial support and encouragement was also provided by the Colorado Onion Association.
Table 2: Yield at the Hines Site (Delta County, Colorado)
|
Variety |
Total cwt/A |
Colossal cwt/A |
Jumbo cwt/A |
Medium cwt/A |
Prepack/boiler |
Ave weight per bulb in kgs |
| Tequila |
658.59 de |
97.79 |
400.67 ef |
139.68 (21.2) |
20.45 (3.1) |
0.75 |
| Mequite |
467.40 fghi |
148.29 (31.7) |
288.28
fg |
23.37 (5.0) |
7.46 (1.6) |
1.01 |
|
DPSX 1171 |
649.41 def |
28.60 (4.4) |
437.65
ef |
166.56 (25.6) |
16.61 (4.2) |
0.65 |
| DPSX 1172 |
284.21 i |
26.98 (9.5) |
171.28
gh |
74.03 (26.0) |
11.92 (4.2) |
0.65 |
| Seahawk |
481.69 efgh |
10.38 (2.2) |
310.81
fg |
129.92 (26.9) |
30.59 (6.4) |
0.58 |
| Tioga |
882.14 bc |
17.99 |
733.77
bc |
119.31 (13.5) |
11.07 (1.2) |
0.74 |
| 15192 |
436.04 ghi |
0.00 |
180.12
gh |
213.64 (48.9) |
42.28 (9.7) |
0.44 |
| Golden Spike |
743.30 cd |
58.19 |
535.82
de |
131.53 (17/.7) |
17.76 (2.4) |
0.71 |
| Sweet Perfection |
982.03 ab |
59.04 |
835.50
b |
76.41 (7.8) |
11.07 (1.1) |
0.83 |
| Harmony |
1154.82 a |
49.35 |
992.07 a |
102.01 (8.8) |
11.38 (0.8) |
0.84 |
|
Gunnison |
309.19 hi |
0.00 |
78.87 h |
200.57 (64.9) |
29.75 (9.6) |
0.40 |
| Delgado |
572.49 defg |
0.00 |
305.27
fg |
243.39 (42.5) |
23.83 (4.2) |
0.51 |
| BGS167 |
531.36 efg |
12.76 |
466.48
e |
43.67 (8.2) |
8.46 (1.6) |
0.79 |
| Sabroso |
627.22 def |
0.00 |
399.29 ef |
215.71 (34.4) |
12.22 (1.9) |
0.60 |
| Tesoro |
909.20 bc |
12.45 |
744.07
bc |
136.61 (15.0) |
16.07 (1.8) |
1.05 |
| Granero |
754.53 cd |
61.50 |
632.68
cd |
49.43 (8.6) |
10.92 (1.4) |
0.83 |
| LSD |
12.12 0.05 |
ns |
10.04 0.05 |
ns | ns | ns |
Table 3: Yield at the Homewood Site (Montrose County, Colorado)
| Variety |
Total cwt/A |
Colossal cwt/A (% of total) |
Jumbo cwt/A |
Medium cwt/A |
Prepack/boiler cwt/A (% of total) |
Ave weight per bulb in kgs |
| Genesis |
358.39 cd | 0.00 (0.0) |
124.69 cd (34.8) |
171.24 bc (47.8) |
62.48 ab (17.4) |
0.16 cd |
| OLYH99-2900 |
317.85 d | 0.00 (0.0) |
105.98 cd (33.3) |
182.36 bc (57.4) |
29.51 b (9.3) |
0.19 c |
| Expression |
868.65 a | 18.02 (2.1) |
706.71 a (81.4) |
133.01 bc (15.3) |
10.92 b (1.3) |
0.29 a |
| Gunnison |
576.29 b | 0.00 (0.0) |
302.04 b (52.4) |
247.61 ab (42.9) |
26.64 b (4.6) |
0.22 bc |
| Frontier |
576.58 b | 0.00 (0.0) |
188.30 bc (32.7) |
366.72 a (58.4) |
21.56 b (3.7) |
0.19 bc |
| EM635 |
486.31 bc |
0.00 (0.0) |
26.16 d (5.4) |
355.51 a (73.1) |
104.64 a (21.5) |
0.12 d |
| EM702 |
434.95 bcd | 0.00 (0.0) |
222.79 bc (51.2) |
179.38 bc (41.2) |
32.77 b (7.5) |
0.21 bc |
| Delgado |
466.86 bc | 6.99 (1.5) |
333.66 b (71.5) |
108.67 c (23.3) |
17.54
b (3.8) |
0.26 ab |
| LSD |
142.2 0.01 |
NS |
155.7 0.01 |
132.7 0.01 |
53.54 0.01 |
0.063 0.01 |
WebMaster Dr.
Curtis E. Swift, Area Extension Agent, Horticulture
Colorado State University Extension
2775 US Hwy 50, Grand Junction, CO. 81503
voice: 970-244-1834
fax: 970-244-1700