CROP

CLASSIFICATION

Onion
Sibuyas
Allium cepa
 Functional System Classification:
Horticulture

Special Purpose Classification:

Catch Crops

Crop English Name : Onion

Crop Scientific Name :

Allium cepa
Crop Filipino Name : Sibuyas
 Crop Classification :
• Onion is the common name for the
herbaceous, cold season plant Allium cepa,
which is characterized by a edible, rounded
bulb composed of concentric, fleshy, tightly
packed, and enlarged leaf bases. Onion is also
the name of this edible bulb, which is
commercially valuable and known for its
pungent oil that departs a strong taste.
 Crop Description:
• Onion is a widely cultivated in the Philippines; it is being
grown in 22 provinces within the country. Onion, Allium
cepa, is an herbaceous biennial in the family Liliaceae
grown for its edible bulb.
• The leaves are either erect or oblique and there are 3–8 per
plant.
• The onion plant produces pink or white flowers clustered on
stalks. The bulbs are formed just above the flattened stem of
the plant by overlapping leaves.
• Onion plants can reach a height of 50 cm (20 in) and are
grown as annuals, harvested after one growing season.
 Crop Production/Planting Method
Preparation of potting medium
• Seedbed for onion is from 50-70 cm wide, elevated, and
of any convenient length.
• Raise the seedbed 10-15 cm high, excavate the soil in
the proposed pathways, and put it on the seedbed.
• Pulverize the topsoil 3-5 cm deep the seeds are planted
at 1- 1.5 cm deep.
• Minimize weed problems by irrigating a week after they
germinate, plow and harrow again, repeatedly before
sowing.
 Crop Production/Planting Method

Seed Preparation
• Weed and fertilize with 10 tbsp, dissolved in 16 L of water
2-3 weeks after germination.
• Reduce frequency of watering ten days before
transplanting.
• Allow seeds to suffer from mild wilting before watering to
harden the seedlings.
• Water the seedbed thoroughly an hour before pulling them
gently avoiding damage to roots or stems for transplanting.
 Crop Production/Planting Method

Planting
• Before transplanting, dip the seedling roots in a
mixture of Trichoderma.
• Pressed the soil for better contact between soil and
roots.
• Direct seeding, 3-5 seeds are planted per hill at 6-8
cm planting distance between hills in the furrow.
• Cover seeds with soil.
Crop Production/Planting Method

Water and Nutrient Uptake

• Water immediately after planting.
• In unmulched plots, watering is done everyday
in the morning to prevent damping-off .
• For mulched plots, water every 5-7 days or
when temporary wilting occurs.
• Stop watering 10 days before harvest.
 Crop Production/Planting Method

Staking and Pruning

• Onions is not that required to stake, since some people
prefer planting in rows. Decide how many rows you need
to accommodate the number of onions you want to plant.
• Pruning or trimming in onions is very simple all you need
to do is trim your onion starts (or leeks or shallots)
whenever their greens become long and start to tangle.
• Around five or six inches is the right length to start
trimming your onion seedling.
 Pest Management
• Regulate humidity within the field through proper irrigation. Eliminate debris
from previous crop.
• Spray compost tea (compost tea is prepared by fermenting rice compost for 10-
14 days. The effluent is sprayed to control foliar diseases).
• Remove infected leaves. Practice crop rotationto avoid pink root.
• Practice soil solarization. Use resistant varieties for bacterial soft rot neck rot,
& onion smut.
• Harvests only mature bulbs. Maintain good air circulation during curing,
packing & storage.
• Use furrow irrigation. Incorporate copper sulfate at the last fertilization &
fungicide application.
• Use overhead irrigation & high pressure spray of water & insecticidal soap
solution.
• Remove badly infested leaves. Spray hot pepper extract, or spread wood ash to
control army worm & cutworm.
• To control leafminer, spray chlorox solution (1:10 commercial chlorox & water)
& rinse one hour later with water.
• Manage weeds properly to maintain sufficient population of natural enemies.
 Crop Production/Planting Method

Harvesting
• Harvest onions when necks soften, leaves change from green to
yellow, roots die, and fall over.
• Be selective in terms of harvesting .
• Post harvest , cure harvested bulb for 10-14 days.
• Align onions so that the leaves of one onion cover the bulb of
another.
• Clip dried leaves 1.5 inches from the stem and remove all roots.
• Grade bulbs according to size & quality.
• Pack in jute or net sacks for storage and/or immediate disposal.
 Short Trivia

Slicing onions makes most of us cry, but why?

The reason is that cutting into it releases sulfuric
acid, which reacts with the moisture in our eyes
to create a tearful reaction. One way to avoid
this unfortunate by product of slicing onions is to
cut them under running water, or while
submerged in a basin of water.