Oakes Irrigation Research Site
Carrington Research Extension Center * North Dakota State University
P.O. Box 531, Oakes, ND 58474-0531, Voice: (701) 742-2189, FAX: (701) 742-2700, email: rgreenla@ndsuext.nodak.edu

Onions grow well in North Dakota. Growers are producing mostly yellow sweet Spanish onions and some storage onions.

The hybrids Tequila, Granero, Mesquite and Ranchero had the highest yields over 4 inches and also the highest total yields. Ranchero, Granero, Mesquite, Tequila and Vaquero had the highest yields of 3-4 inch onions. Condor, Tequila, Tioga and Redwing had the highest yield of 2.25-3 inch onions. Milliniun, Gunnison, Ranchero and T-441 had the highest percentage of single centers. South Port and Candy had low yields and quality.

Table 26. Early vigor, maturity, and quality of onions in the Oakes Irrigation Research Site 2001 onion performance trial.

Hybrid	Seed producer¹	June 15 stand	June 15 vigor	Herbicide injury²	Days to half-down³	Single centers	Uniformity	Overall score
		------------------ 1 to 10 -----------------				%	1 to 5	1 to 10

BGS 142	BE⁴	7.0 a-e⁷	7.5 a-d	2.5 b-f	127 e-m	18 j-m	2.8 e-j	6.8 c-i
BGS 142	BE	6.8 a-f	6.5 ef	2.0 a-d	133 l-r	5 m	3.0 d-j	5.8 ijk
Brahma	SS	7.3 a-d	8.0 ab	1.5 ab	119 abc	40 e-k	3.1 b-i	7.5 a-g
Candy	PS⁵	7.0 a-e	7.3 b-e	3.0 def	126 b-j	45 d-k	2.5 ij	4.1 lmn
Condor	AT	7.5 abc	7.5 a-d	2.8 c-f	127 d-l	35 f-l	3.8 a-d	7.8 a-e
Copra	BE⁴	6.3 c-f	7.3 b-e	2.3 a-e	126 c-k	30 h-m	3.9 abc	6.1 h-k
DPSX 1170	DP	6.5 b-f	7.0 c-f	3.0 def	116 a	20 klm	3.6 a-e	5.4 jkl
Mariner	AS⁴	6.8 a-f	7.0 c-f	1.5 ab	131 g-q	27 h-m	3.0 c-j	7.1 a-i
Festival	BE	7.5 abc	6.8 def	3.0 def	132 i-r	35 f-l	3.1 b-i	7.5 a-g
Frontier (T-400)	AT⁶	7.8 ab	7.0 c-f	3.0 def	121 a-e	50 c-j	3.6 a-e	6.4 f-j
Granero	SS	7.9 a	8.0 ab	1.8 abc	130 f-q	75 abc	3.4 a-h	8.1 ab
Gunnison	BE	7.5 abc	7.0 c-f	2.0 a-d	130 f-p	85 ab	4.1 a	6.6 d-j
Hercules	SWK⁶	6.3 c-f	6.5 ef	1.5 ab	132 i-r	20 i-m	2.6 g-j	6.4 f-j
Kodiak	DP	5.5 f	6.8 def	2.3 a-e	138 r-u	10 lm	2.8 f-j	6.5 e-j
Lorenzos	VL	7.3 a-d	7.0 c-f	2.8 c-f	131 g-r	5 m	3.5 a-g	7.8 a-e
Mercury	PS⁵	5.5 f	7.0 c-f	2.5 b-f	131 g-r	35 f-l	2.9 e-j	7.3 a-h
Mesquite	DP	7.5 abc	7.0 c-f	2.0 a-d	146 v	75 abc	3.1 b-i	7.1 a-h
Millennium	SS⁶	6.8 a-f	7.0 c-f	1.5 ab	131 h-r	95 a	3.4 a-h	6.9 b-i
Mustang	BE⁴	6.0 def	6.8 def	3.5 f	144 uv	55 b-h	3.5 a-g	6.5 e-j
NIZ-37-32	VL	5.8 ef	7.0 c-f	3.3 ef	131 h-r	30 h-m	3.5 a-g	6.3 g-k
Pathfinder	SWK⁶	7.3 a-d	7.3 b-e	1.5 ab	123 b-f	25 i-m	3.0 d-j	6.9 b-i
Prince	BE⁴	7.0 a-e	7.3 b-e	1.5 ab	125 b-h	32 g-m	4.0 ab	6.6 d-j
Ranchero	SS	6.8 a-f	7.8 abc	1.8 abc	135 p-s	85 ab	3.5 a-g	7.9 a-d
Redwing	BE	7.8 ab	8.3 a	1.3 a	132 j-r	52 b-k	3.3 a-i	8.1 abc
Sabroso	SS	7.0 a-e	6.5 ef	2.0 a-d	136 p-t	38 d-l	2.8 e-j	6.9 a-i
Salem	BE⁴	7.5 abc	7.3 b-e	2.5 b-f	128 e-m	54 b-i	3.9 a-d	7.2 a-h
Sharon	BE	7.5 abc	7.0 c-f	2.3 a-e	125 b-h	40 e-k	4.0 a	6.3 g-k
Sharon	BE⁴	6.8 a-f	7.0 c-f	2.0 a-d	128 e-m	40 e-k	4.0 a	6.4 f-j
South Port	DS	6.5 b-f	6.3 f	2.8 c-f	143 tuv	25 i-m	3.3 a-i	3.0 n
Spinnaker	AS⁴	6.8 a-f	7.3 b-e	1.5 ab	134 m-r	60 b-g	3.1 b-i	6.9 b-i
SS EXP 4391	SS	3.0 g⁷	7.0 c-f	3.0 def	137 q-t	7 lm	2.3 j	5.0 klm
SS EXP 4971	SS	6.8 a-f	7.5 a-d	1.8 abc	128 e-n	20 klm	3.3 a-i	7.1 a-h
SS EXP 60539	SS	6.8 a-f	7.0 c-f	2.0 a-d	127 d-l	38 d-l	3.6 a-f	7.3 a-h
SWO 7074	SWK⁶	6.5 b-f	7.3 b-e	2.8 c-f	128 e-n	54 b-i	2.5 hij	7.1 a-i
SWO 7144	SWK⁶	6.0 def	7.0 c-f	2.8 c-f	130 g-q	47 c-k	3.3 a-i	6.9 a-i
SWO 7391	SWK⁶	6.8 a-f	7.0 c-f	2.3 a-e	133 k-r	75 abc	3.5 a-g	7.6 a-f
SWO 7402	SWK⁶	6.7 a-f	6.7 def	2.9 c-f	133 l-r	38 d-l	3.5 a-g	6.9 a-i
SWO 7761	SWK⁶	6.8 a-f	6.8 def	2.5 b-f	133 l-r	65 b-e	2.9 e-j	6.8 c-i
T-418	AT⁴	6.4 b-f	7.4 a-e	3.5 f	118 ab	25 h-m	4.0 ab	3.9 mn
T-439	AT	7.0 a-e	7.0 c-f	2.0 a-d	128 f-o	45 c-k	3.3 a-i	7.1 a-i
T-441	AT⁴	6.8 a-f	7.5 a-d	2.5 b-f	131 g-r	80 ab	3.4 a-h	6.9 b-i
Tenshin	FS	6.3 c-f	7.5 a-d	1.8 abc	131 g-q	55 b-h	3.1 b-i	6.1 h-k
Tequila	DP	7.3 a-d	7.0 c-f	2.3 a-e	141 s-v	55 b-h	3.4 a-h	7.6 a-f
Teton	PS⁵	7.5 abc	7.8 abc	1.3 a	130 f-p	55 b-h	3.3 a-i	7.6 a-f
Tioga	FS	7.9 a	7.8 abc	1.3 a	125 b-i	55 b-h	3.4 a-h	7.8 a-e
Tradewind	AS⁴	7.8 ab	8.0 ab	1.3 a	124 b-g	45 d-k	3.1 b-i	7.1 a-h
Uniglobe 108	PS⁶	7.3 a-d	7.0 c-f	2.0 a-d	135 o-s	70 a-d	3.4 a-h	6.8 c-i
Uniglobe 108	PS⁵	6.7 a-f	6.9 c-f	2.0 a-d	137 q-u	67 a-f	2.8 e-j	6.3 g-k
Valiant	SS	8.0 a	8.0 ab	1.5 ab	127 d-l	75 abc	3.8 a-d	7.6 a-f
Vantage	PS⁵	7.5 abc	8.0 ab	1.3 a	120 a-d	65 a-g	3.6 a-f	7.6 a-f
Vaquero	SS	7.0 a-e	7.5 a-d	2.3 a-e	132 j-r	75 abc <

Soil:	Maddock sandy loam and Embden Sandy Loam; pH=7.5; 2.0% organic matter; soil-P was very high; soil-K was high; soil-S was very low.
Previous crops:	2000 - tomato, pepper and sweet corn; 1999 - cabbage; 1998 - field corn.
Seedbed preparation:	Disked on April 25. Multiweeded (field cultivated) on April 26 to incorporate fertilizer and smooth the seedbed.
Planting:	Direct seeded onions (200,000 seeds/acre) on April 25 with a Stanhay vegetable planter modified to drill a barley cover crop (1 bu/acre, 6 inch rows). Planted in paired rows (3" apart), with the paired rows on 16" centers. Sprayed Poast + Dash (1.5 pt + 1 pt/acre) on May 25 to kill the barley cover crop.
Plots:	Plots were 3 ft (two paired rows) wide by 17 ft long. The study had 4 reps.
Fertilizer:	On April 19, broadcast 10 lbs N/acre and 50 lbs P₂O₅/acre as 10-50-0 and 18 lbs N/acre and 20 lbs S/acre as 21-0-0-24. Sprayed 50 lbs N/acre as 28-0-0 on April 25. Fertigated 35 lbs N/acre as 28-0-0 on June 26.
Irrigation:	Overhead sprinkler irrigation as needed.
Pest control:	Weeds were controlled with: Prowl (1.5 pt/acre on May 18 and June 19); Buctril and Goal (1.5 and 0.6 pt/acre on June 12); Poast + Dash (1.5 pt + 1 pt/acre on July 5 and spot applied 2 pt + 1 pt/acre on July 19) and hand weeding. We sprayed Bravo (1.5 pt/acre on July 12; 3 pt/acre on July 17 and Aug 27), Ridomil MZ72 (2.5 lb/acre on July 24 and Aug 16) and Maneb (2 lb/acre on Aug 8) to control diseases. No insect control needed.
Harvest:	Pulled onions from Sept 4 to Sept 17 (approximately 2 weeks after half-down date). Onions were allowed to dry in the field for about two weeks, then were bagged and moved to a shed. The onions were graded Oct 12 to Oct 24.