Cooperative Extension Service
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
The University of Georgia

Volume 6/Number 6

June, 2002

George Boyhan, Extension Horticulturist-Vegetables
East Georgia Extension Center
Rosenwald Building, Third Floor
PO Box 8112
Georgia Southern University
Statesboro, GA 30460
912-681-5639 | 912-681-0376, Fax | 912-682-3481, mobile

Vidalia Onion Taste Test Results

The following table contains some of the results of the taste panel tests. Included in the table are the results of tasting for total sulfur, bitterness, pungency, heat and sweetness. Other measurements such as musty, sour and metallic do not appear to have much bearing on onion flavor, so they wre not included.

Surprisingly, Granex 33, our standard variety, had consistently poor quality this year of the varieties tested. This may herald the need to select another standard. We have discussed using a different standard -- perhaps 'Savannah Sweet' or 'Sweet Vidalia.' This was an unusual year for onion production, and this may also have had some bearing on flavor.

If you have questions about these results, please don't hesitate to call. In addition, we hope to have Dr. Anna Resurreccion give a presentation on onion taste testing at the beltwide onion meeting this year.

Vidalia Onion Recommendations

To refresh everyone's memory, we have a committee charged with evaluating the onion flavor information each year. Dr. Doug Bailey, Dr. Bill Randle, Mr. Reid Torrance and I are on this committee. Onion variety recommendations are based on three years of data with two favorable years out of the three years of testing. In addition, varieties that have two consecutive years of favorable results will also be recommended, since the third year would, in that case, just be a waiting period.

Last year, five varieties were recommended for inclusion on the official varieties list: DPS 1032, PS 7092, Sweet Advantage (DPS 1058), WI-3115 and WI 609. Of these, the Georgia Department of Agriculture accepted only two, DPS 1032 and PS 7092.

This year we have recommended DPS 1033, DPS 1024, Nirvana (RCS 1027) and EX 075 92000 without rescinding the recommendations from last year. The dean has forwarded these recommendations to the Georgia Department of Agriculture.

The Georgia Department of Agriculture sent out a notice of intent on July 12, 2002, to add all of the varieties recommended from both 2001 and 2002. Comments about this rule change need to be sent to the Georgia Department of Agriculture by August 12, 2002. For more information about submitting comments, please contact the Georgia Department of Agriculture.

From My Desk

It will be interesting to see what the ultimate decision will be of the Georgia Department of Agriculture. They have proposed including all varieties in the past only to accept none. I will keep you posted on what their decision is. This newsletter is so late because I was waiting for the taste panel evaluation and the final decision on our recommendations. I am currently in New Hampshire on vacation -- what a beautiful place! I will have the July newsletter out next week.