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How to improve onion quality
Nutrition programmes based on crop nutrient needs are key to influencing both yield and quality. Crop nutrition influences dry matter content, firmness and storability as well as taste and pungency, all important factors in determining the quality of onion crops.
Balanced nutrition is needed for quality onions
Nitrogen excess can cause quality issues
Nitrogen has greatest effects on onion yield although too much nitrogen softens the bulb and increases storage rot diseases. However nitrogen can also influence quality by helping to increase skin thickness.
Phosphate has a positive effect on storage quality
Phosphorus has a positive effect on storage quality of onions and garlic, especially when high rates of nitrogen have been used.
Potassium allows higher rates of nitrogen to be applied
The use of potassium allows growers to maintain high rates of nitrogen for yield with reduced risk of storage problems such as rots or sprouting.
Calcium is important to ensure good quality onions
Calcium is particularly important for bulb density, integrity and long-term storage with minimal disease problems. Magnesium also has a role to play in improving storage quality characteristics.
Boron helps calcium uptake
Boron has been shown to improve storage quality, which could be associated with the micronutrient’s role in improving calcium accumulation in the bulb.
Related articles
Increasing bulb weight
A balanced crop nutrition program can help to improve overall yield by increasing onion bulb weight.
Avoiding chilling injury
Onions thrive best when temperatures are cool during early development and then warmer and sunny during maturity.
Nutritional programs containing soluble calcium can help to protect crops against chilling injury, which can lead to cell breakdown.
Influencing onion bulb number
The number of onions produced can be influenced by a variety of factors, for example, plant density. Planting crops at higher densities can result in greater numbers of onion bulbs, but of smaller size. Thus, it is important to manipulate sowing density...
