Chitrali

Crop Name	Onion
Hybrid Name	Chitrali
Segment	Kharif
Maturity Period	Direct sowing: 100 -110 days, Transplanting: 90-100 days
Characteristics	• Red Color globe shape bulbs • Uniform bulb shape and Size • Average bulb weight 90-100 gms
Average yield	15-20 t / ha
Climate	The optimum temperature range for its growth is 20-25 °C
Sowing Window	Kharif: April- July
Focused Market	All states

Parameter

Description

Scientific Name

Allium cepa

Hybrid

Chitrali

Soil

Red loam to black soils with good drainage facilities is highly suited for onion cultivation. It performs well at a soil pH range of 6-7 and a mild season without extremes of heat and cold.

Land Preparation

Plough the land to a fine tilth and form ridges and furrows at 45 cm spacing. Sow the bulbs on both the sides of the ridges at 10 cm apart.

Spacing

15 cm X 10 cm

Climate

Onion is a cool season vegetable and grows well under mild climate without extreme heat or cold or excessive rainfall. The ideal temperature for vegetative growth is 12.8 – 23.0 °C. For bulb formation it requires long days and still higher temperature (20-25 °C).

Season

Rainy Season

Fertilizers & Manures

Type	Quantity / Notes
FYM	20-25 tonnes of FYM per hectare before the last ploughing
Nitrogen (N)	120 Kg/Ha
Phosphorus (P₂O₅)	50 Kg/Ha
Potassium (K₂O)	160 Kg/Ha
Entire dose of P and K should be applied at the time of final land preparation. Nitrogen should be top-dressed in two equal splits, first half 3-4 weeks after transplanting and second half two months after transplanting.

Irrigation

Irrigate at the time of planting of seedlings and third day and later at weekly intervals. Withhold irrigation 10 days before harvest.

Weed Control

Pre-plant incorporation of Basalin (2 kg a.i./ha) along with one hand weeding at 45 days after transplanting

Any Special Crop Practices

Diseases

Name of the Disease	Symptoms & Management
Stemphylium Leaf Blight	Small, light-brown lesions that enlarge and turn dark brown or black, leading to extensive leaf blighting. Control: Spraying Mancozeb (0.25%) along with Monocrotophos (0.05%) with sticker triton on appearance of disease at fortnightly interval controls the disease.
Downey Mildew	Pale green or yellow spots on leaves covered with a downy, violet-white fungal growth during humid weather. Control:Spray Mancozeb or Metalaxyl. Destroy infected plant debris and ensure adequate plant spacing to allow air circulation.
Fusarium basal rot	Yellowing and wilting of leaves; roots rot and turn pink or brown; bulb base decays. Control: Seed treatment with Thiram (2 g/kg of seed) and soil application of Carbendazim, Thiophanate Methyl (Topsin-M) or Benomyl @ 0.1% is effective in the controlling the disease.
Damping-off	The pathogen attacks the collar region of seedlings on the surface of soil. The collar portion rots and ultimately the seedlings collapse and die. Control: The seed should be treated with Thiram @ 2g/kg of seed before sowing.
Purple blotch	Small, sunken, watery spots on leaves that turn purplish-brown. Leaves eventually break and wither. Control:Spraying Mancozeb (0.25%) or Chlorothalonil (0.2%) or Iprodione (0.25%) after one month from transplanting at fortnightly interval reduces the disease incidence.
Rust	Small white flecks on leaves and stems which develop into circular or elongated orange pustules; severe infestations can cause leaves to yellow and die Control: Spray Tebuconazole @ 1 ml / ltr. Or Mancozeb @ 2 gm / ltr
Bacterial Brown Rot	It is very serious disease of onions in storage. The infection occurs through the wounds. The rot begins at the neck of the bulbs which later gives foul smell through the neck when squeezed. Control: Proper curing and rapid drying of the bulbs after harvesting is essential for controlling the disease. Affected bulbs should be discarded before storage. If rains occur during maturity, spraying of Streptocycline (0.02%) is recommended.
Smut	Dark, thickened lareas on cotyledons (seed leaves) which may become large and cause leaves to bend downwards; raised blisters may be present on the base of scales in older plants; lesion mature and become covered in black powdery fungal masses; plant growth stunted; death of plant occurs within 3-4 weeks Control: Treating the seeds with Captan or Thiram (2.5g/kg of seed) before sowing controls the 2 disease. Seed bed treatment with Methyl Bromide (1 kg/25 m .) is effective in controlling the disease.
White rot	Extremely persistent soil-borne disease forming white, fluffy mycelium on roots/bulbs. Control: Seed treatment with Thiram (4 g/kg of seed) and drenching of soil with Mancozeb (0.25%) are effective in controlling the disease. Application of bio-control agents like Trichoderma viride to the soil reduces the disease inoculum.
Leaf streak and bulb rot	Water-soaked, dark green oval lesions or streaks on leaves; tipburn of leaves; dark spots on wrapper scales of bulbs; reddish-brown discoloration of inner scales; rot developing in ring-like pattern Control: foliar sprays of mancozeb (80% WP) or chlorothalonil (75% WP)
Onion yellow dwarf	Yellow streaks on bases of of first leaves; all leaves which emerge after infection have yellow streak or are completely yellow; leaves may be flattened or crinkled; bulbs are undersized; flower stalks yellow and twisted; flower clusters small and seed is of poor quality Control: Spraying of Malathion (0.1%) or Metasystox (0.1%) to control the vectors checks further spread of the disease.
Black Mold	Post-harvest black discoloration at neck; lesions on outer scales; black streaks under outer dry scales; entire surface of bulb turning black and shriveling Control: The crops should be sprayed with Carbendazim (0.2%) 10-15 days before harvesting.

Pests

Name of the Pest	Symptoms & Management
Thrips and onion fly	Discolored, distorted tissue; scarring of leaves; severly infected plants may have a silvery appearance Control: Dimethoate 30 % EC – 7 ml / 10 ltr, Oxydemeton –Methyl 25 % EC 1.2 ml/lit., Quinalphos 25 % EC 1.2 ml / ltr
Cutworm	Drench the soil with Chlorpyriphos @ 2 ml/lit. for control.
Bulb mites	Stunted plant growth; reduced stand; bulbs rotting in ground or in storage Control: Abamectin 1.9% EC, Spiromesifen 22.9% SC
Onion maggot	Stunted or wilting seedlings; plant will commonly break at soil line if an attempt is made to pull it up; if infestation occurs when plants are bulbing, bulbs will be deformed and susceptible to storage rots after harvest. Control: Spray Spinosad @ 1 ml /ltr
Leaf miners	Thin, white, winding trails on leaves; heavy mining can result in white blotches on leaves and leaves dropping from the plant prematurely; early infestation can cause yield to be reduced Control: Chlorantraniliprole 8.8 % + Thiamethoxam 17.5 % @ 0.5 gm/ltr, Cyantraniliprole 7.3 % SC + Diafenthiuron 36.4 % SC @ 2 ml/ltr

Harvest

Harvesting is done by pulling out plants when tops are drooping but still green.
Maturity: Direct sowing: 100-110 days and Transplanting : 90 - 100 days after planting

Yield

15-20 t/ha

Disorder / Symptom	Description & Control
Curing	The bulbs should be adequately cured for proper development of skin colour and to remove field heat before storage of bulbs. It is done till the neck is tight and outer scales are dried. This will prevent infection of diseases and minimize shrinkage loss. Bulbs are cured either in field or in open shade or by artificial means before storage. During kharif season, bulbs are cured for 2-3 weeks along with top. In rabi, bulbs are cured in field for 3-5 days, tops are cut leaving 2.0-2.5 cm above bulb and again cured for 7-10 days to remove field heat.
Storage	After curing, bulbs are stored in well ventilated rooms by spreading them on dry and damp proof floorings or on racks. Periodical turning of bulbs and removal of rotten and sprouted bulbs is highly essential.
Grading	These necked, bolted and decayed bulbs are removed. Cured bulbs are graded based on size, and depending on market to which it is sent.
Physiological Disorder
Bolting	Emergence of seed stock prior to time of bulb formation and adversely effect the formation and development of bulbs. It is due to exposure to low temperature Control: Sowing @ proper time Transplant healthy seedlings Supply recommended dose of Nitrogen
Sprouting	It is associated with excessive moisture at maturity and supply of nitrogen Control: Stop irrigation as soon as bulb reach maturity
Splitting and Doubling of Bulbs	Adverse climatic conditions and imbalanced nutrient supply leads to splitting and doubling of bulbs. Mechanical injury to plant during hoeing and weeding initiates new growth and causes splitting and doubling of bulbs