Onion Production in Canada: The Challenges Mary Ruth McDonald

Muck Crops Research Station, Ontario, Canada 44 o 5’ N, 79 o 35’ W N, 0.25 WPeterborough, U.K. Muck Station-

Onion production in Canada 2012 Total 5,500 ha In the United States: 50,000 ha 2,450 1, New York State 5000 ha Total Canadian production 191,000 tonnes

The Holland Marsh. Onions and carrots are the two major crops on the marsh High organic matter soil: % om, pH Muck Crops Research Station carrots onions

Onions in Canada Yellow bulb onions, mostly Low area of red bulb onions Some Spanish onions Shallots Garlic Some green bunching onions  (mostly in Quebec)

Seeding and transplanting Most onions are direct seeded in late April or early May Crop insurance indicates a reduction in yield if onions are seeded after May 10 Transplants make up about 10% of the onion production in the Holland Marsh area

Onions About 10 % of the onions are grown from transplants. Usually 3 or 4 plants per plug

Onion production Spanish onions are generally grown on mineral soil. These are usually grown from transplants, imported from the U.S.

Cover crops Spring wind abatement crops are used routinely. Fall cover crops are used after onions and wherever possible Barley is the most common cover crop. Oilseed radish has been used. We need a fall cover crop that can grow in October, for use after carrots Barley as a fall cover crop Barley as a spring cover crop on carrots

Irrigation Rainfall varies from year to year Sprinklers Guns Traveling guns or booms -most common Pivot- for mineral soil in some provinces - Manitoba Drip – not used for onions in Canada

Drainage and irrigation All of the area of high organic matter soil is tile drained.

Harvesting and storage Transplanted onions are harvested in early August Most onion harvest occurs in early September

Onions in Ontario, Canada Over half the crop placed in cold storage Onions dug and windrowed for 2 days – 3 weeks May be kept in the field for 2- 3 weeks (plastic covers on boxes) Artificial curing is very common (reduces neck rot) Many of the same insect and disease problems as in other parts of the world, including onion maggot, seed corn maggot, thrips, downy mildew and white rot

Onions artificial curing

Onion Challenges  Marketing  Labour  Family farms plus mostly off shore labour  Crop Protection  Effective pest management  Registration of Crop Protection Materials  Other issues-  Phosphorous use  Permits to take water

Onion Challenges Marketing-  Holland Marsh Gold – Ontario  Peak of the Market – Manitoba Production in the United States  Canadian dollar compared to U.S.  :1  

Price to grower for a 50lb bag of onions Fall (Sept-Nov) of each year Canadian dollars

Production Challenges Production-  Weed control  Onion thrips  Downy mildew  Onion maggot  Onion smut  Allium white rot  Botrytis leaf blight  Bacterial diseases The Weather! What to do? Research, Integrated Pest Management, Plant breeding and selection

 Over half of the onion production is located in the Holland/Bradford Marsh – on both muck ( 40 %+ organic matter) and mineral soils.  There is about 9,500 acres of muck soil in the area, mostly carrots and onions  Research is conducted at the Muck Crops Research Station Holland/Bradford Marsh, Ontario Onion research in Ontario Muck Crops Research Station

Weed control in Onions Chateau/ Valor (flumioxazin) was just registered for use on onions in Canada. Unexpected damage showed up in many fields

The major weed problems are: Yellow nutsedge Chickweed Prostrate knotweed Pigweeds Lamsbquarters

Weed control in onion in Canada Good products for grassy weeds: Active ingredientName in the U.K.Name in Canada Fenoxaprop ethyl Excel Super Sethoxidim + surfactant/adjuvant Poast Ultra + Merge Clethodim + surfactantSelect + Amigo Fluazifop-p-butylVenture

Weed control in onion in Canada Broadleaf weeds: Active ingredientName in the U.K.Name in Canada flumioxazinChateau chlorthal dimethalDacthal pendamethalinProwl dimethenamidFrontier Max oxyflorfenGoal bromoxonilPardner or Broxtril Cartenfrazone-ethyl +nonionic surfactant or surfactant Aim + Agral 90, or Agsurf, or Merge

Integrated pest management for onions

The IPM Program of the Muck Crops Research Station  Objectives  Scout growers’ fields  Disease and insect forecasting information  Identify/diagnose diseases, insect pests and weeds  Provide growers with timely, accurate and convenient access to insect and disease pest information  Update and improve the IPM program

Pest management program for Allium crops (bulb and bunching onions) Onion Thrips Downy mildew Onion maggot White rot of onions Botrytis leaf blight

OBJECTIVE: Thrips control on onions Onion thrips (Thrips tabaci) damage onions and other plants by scraping the leaf surface to feed. They multiply rapidly in warm weather Thrips feed in the leaf axils and can be difficult to control with insecticides They develop resistance to insecticides quickly  Monitor:  Spray at 1 thrips per leaf  Reduced risk insecticides  Biological control

1.Early season location – field borders, near woods, shelters 2. Use white sticky traps - detect early migration ONION THRIPS - SCOUTING 3. Plant inspection: -50 – 100 plants/field -50 – 100 plants/field -pull apart leaves -pull apart leaves THRESHOLD = 1 THRIPS / LEAF Thrips generally around borders

Thrips plot Aug 14, relatively high thrips damage Sylgard Movento/Delegate Concept Delegate Check

Evaluation of insecticides for control of onion thrips Thrips per plant c bc abc abc ab ab ab a a a a a a

Onion maggots and seed corn maggots are very damaging to onions- up to 70 to 100% loss, most years

Onion downy mildew is very destructive during cool, humid weather. Downy mildew developed late in the season in 2006 Disease forecasting is very important Onion downy mildew

DOWNCAST for predicting risk of downy mildew Sporulates when temperatures below 24 o C previous day Temp 4 – 24 o C at night Humidity above 95% at night, No rain after 1:00 am Infection occurs in 3-6 hours, temp C  Takes 10 to 12 days from infection until sporulation  NO symptoms until sporulation occurs

Long term consistent yields The weather varies each growing season, and may become more variable Growers usually spread the risk by growing more than one variety Can we identify some varieties of onions and carrots that yield well in all growing seasons? Information from the cultivar trials at the Muck Crops Research Station

Onions are assessed every year – Results available in the Muck Station annual report

Marketable yields of six onion varieties at the Muck Crops Research Station VarietyYears tested Above Average Below Corona Prince Hamlet Frontier Norstar Fortress Number of years

Innovative approaches for IPM Government funding for aerial photography for IPM and plot assessment

Infrared photographs for NDVI assessments

A new disease: Stemphylium leaf blight Stemphylium leaf blight Stemphylium vesicarium Caused by Stemphylium vesicarium. Typically attacks leaf tips, other lesions, and injured or dying onion leaves Starts with small light brown lesions, these expand and black conidia develop Infection may kill entire leaves. Usually limited to leaves and doesn’t extend to bulbs Can be confused with purple blotch

All research trials are summarized in the Annual Report Download at the Muck Station web site:

Web site Check for the Agriphone, research reports, publications

Acknowledgments Muck Crops Research Station Staff Muck Crops Research Station Staff OMAFRA/University of Guelph Partnership OMAFRA/University of Guelph Partnership

Questions?