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

Volume 7/Number 6
June, 2003

George Boyhan, Extension Horticulturist-Vegetables
East Georgia Extension Center
Nessmith-Lane Building, 2nd Floor
PO Box 8112
Georgia Southern University
Statesboro, GA 30460
912-681-5639 | 912-681-0376, Fax | 912-682-3481, mobile

Vidalia Onion Variety Trial Results

Below are the results of this year's variety trial. Overall, the yields were somewhat less than in previous years due to cooler temperatures delaying bulb enlargement. There was a more distinctive partition in harvest date this year from the earliest varieties (Japanese overwintering types) to the main season varieties.

Seed of Southern Honey were of poor quality and did not germinate very well. Consequently, there were not enough transplants to put this entry in the trial.

Seedstem and double occurrence was low among most of the entries, but several had decidedly higher incidence of one or the other. Among the official varieties, Cyclops had a relatively high incidence of seedstems, with 27, and Georgia Boy had a high incidence of doubles, with 41. Seedstem and double formation, although influenced by variety, is largely a factor of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Such factors as planting date, freezing temperatures and late season cool weather can affect these conditions.

We had three observational entries (single plot of each) in the trial, but due to a miscommunication, did not follow through with harvest and post-harvest data collection. At least one of these entries was a white onion, which under current rules is not allowed as a Vidalia variety.

Field yield ranged from a high of 911 50-lb bags/acre for SRO 1001 (RCX 5195-1) to 317 50-lb bags/acre for Sweet Advantage. The average among all the varieties was 545 50-lb bags/acre compared to the previous year with an average of 699 50-lb bags/acre.

We do not have cured yields for every variety because of an increasing incidence of bacterial diseases with later harvested varieties. Later harvested varieties did not undergo heat curing. In the future, we will probably abandon reporting cured yields. We are currently reassessing our curing process.

Information is also presented on pyruvate analysis as well as taste test evaluation. These means were subjected to Duncan's multiple range test. Favorable results with new varieties in these tests in two out of three years or in two consecutive years will result in recommendation of these varieties for inclusion on the official Georgia Department of Agriculture list. This year, tentatively, seven new varieties are to enter the list: Sapelo Sweet (DPS 1039), Granex Yellow PRR (Seminis), EX 19013, Sugar Belle F1 (SSC 6371 F1), SRO 1001 (RCX 5195-1), SSC 6372 F1, and SRO 1000 (RCX 6043). In addition, five varieties are tentatively recommended for removal: Rio Bravo, Adonis, Dessex, Yellow Granex Imp. (Sun F1), and Mr. Max.

Four varieties are on the official list but were not entered in the trial this past season. Presumably, if they were not entered this coming season, they would have one more year as official varieties before being dropped. These varieties are Southern Belle, PS 7092, Sweet Success (1514), and Sweet Melissa (SXO 1519). Finally, Southern Honey had poor germination and was not evaluated this past season. This is considered a negative year for this variety.

Watermelon and Vegetable Field Day at Blackville, South Carolina

I had the opportunity to attend the field day at the Edisto Research and Education Center at Blackville, South Carolina, July 10. Clemson University specialists and staff put on an outstanding program.

Among the watermelon work they had underway included a seedless watermelon trial, a palm or personal watermelon trial, row spacing study, heat unit requirements from flowering to fruit, and pollinizer evaluation.

Seedless watermelons are becoming more important to the industry each year. This year probably more than 50 percent of the watermelons sold in Georgia will be seedless. The Edisto Research Center reflects this change with the amount of work being conducted in this area. This is reflected in the 25 seedless varieties evaluated. This does not include the palm or personal seedless melons evaluated.

Several seed companies are pursuing the development of palm or personal melons for marketing. These varieties produce the majority of their melons in the 3 to 8 pound class (about the size of a cantaloupe). They are seedless and marketed for consumption by one or two people. Most of these varieties produce low tonnage on a per-acre basis, which means on the open market they would not be very profitable for growers. Seed companies are taking a different tack in marketing these melons by having them contract grown and handling the sales and distribution themselves.

Another inovation by seed companies, which was being tested at the Edisto Center, was the use of pollinizers. This year, Seminis Seed Company has been marketing their short-vine pollinizer called 'Companion.' This compact plant does not have vines that get any larger than 2 to 2.5 feet. The company suggests planting them every second plant in a field that has been planted entirely to seedless. Syngenta will also be marketing a pollinizer next year called 'SP-1.' This is a normal sized plant with delicate leaves and citron-like fruit. Both of these varieties were available for inspection at the field day. Finally, Hazera has a pollinizer as well, called 'Minipool,' which I have not seen.

It may not be too many more years before seedless watermelons are the only melons produced in Georgia for shipping. Innovations in pollinizer technology could make this possible.

Upcoming Onion Production Meeting

We will have our annual beltwide Onion Production Meeting this year at the Captain's Corner Restaurant on August 15 in Vidalia. The meeting is tentatively scheduled to start at 11:30 a.m. with a sponsored lunch, followed by presentations on onion production.

Tentatively on the schedule, we have Thad Paulk, Dr. Purvis's (post-harvest onion research) technician to talk about controlled atmosphere storage research. Kenny Seebold and David Langston will be covering onion pathology and insects. Jeff Cook and Reid Torrance will handle weed control and discuss Stanley Culpepper's (weed specialist) research, and I will be talking about my work on the variety trial and production methods in general.

This newsletter is arriving late, because this past month has been very busy with harvesting watermelon, cantaloupes and pumpkins. I hope to have my next newsletter (July) out by the end of the week. Please make an effort to join us for the annual Onion Production Meeting. This is a great opportunity to find out about some of the latest research and recommendations.

Toombs County is getting a new county agent in Ronnie Blackley, who wil be starting August 1, taking over for David Curry. I would like to extend a welcome to him to the onion production area. You will get one of your first opportunities to meet him at the Onion Production Meeting.

Talk to you next issue.