This document provides information on the production technology of onion and garlic crops. It discusses the botanical details, climate and soil requirements, varieties, planting methods, manure and fertilizer application, irrigation practices, intercultivation, harvesting, curing, storage and important diseases of onion. It summarizes the key information on the leading onion producing states in India, recommended spacing and seed rate for planting, important improved varieties released by state agricultural universities with their characteristics and yield.

2. ASSIGNMENT
ON
PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY OF ONION &
GARLIC
COURSE TITLE: PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY OF COOL SEASON
VEGETABLE CROPS
COURSE NO: VSC 501
SUBMITTED BY:
Vaghela Kalpeshbhai S.
Reg.No.:04-3178-2017
Msc. Horticulture
(Vegetable Science)
SUBMITTED TO:
Dr. V.I. Joshi
Research Scientist,
MVRS, AAU, Anand

4. Botanical Name: Allium cepa L. (2n = 2 x = 16)
Family : Alliaceae
Origin: Central Asia
•It is known as “Queen of kitchen”.
•Allium is Greek word
•Onion belong to monocotyledon family
•Shallow rooted crop
•Edible portion of onion is modified stem know as bulb
•Pungency in onion is due to volatile oil-allylpropyl disulfide
•Yellow colour of the outer skin of onion bulb is due to “Quercetin”
•Anti-fungal factor in onion is phenolics compound known as ‘catechol’
•Onion is richest source of vanadium
INTRODUCTION

5. •Generally red onion is more pungent than white onion
•Largest cultivated onion : White & yellow
•Cytoplasmic genetic male sterility was 1st found in onion
•Onion seed viability: 1 year
•Onion is used against sun stroke
•Onion contains an enzyme is called ‘Allinase’
•Leading producer of onion in the world: China
•India is the 2nd largest producer of onion in the world
•Leading state in onion area & production : Maharashtra
•Lassalgoan(Maharashtra) is the biggest onion market in india
•77% total foreign exchange among fresh vegetables

6. •Highest productivity of onion in india : Gujarat
•Project Directorate on Onionc and Garlic ,Rajagurunagar, Maharashtra
•Important states: Maharasthra, Tamil Nadu, A.P., Bihar and Gujarat.
In Gujarat: Saurashtra – Bhavnagar, Rajkot, Amreli, Junagadh and
Jamnagar is the main region then in Ahmedabad, Sabarkantha, B. K,
Vadodara, Kheda, Anand and Mehsana grown in small area.
Area:
•In India onion is grown in 11.88 lakh ha with production of 19.71
million tons(Annon. 2016-17). In Gujarat – 43.4t (2009-10).
•It is an herbaceous annual for the edible bulb production and biennial
for the seed production.

7. Onion Bulb Flower
Flower Structure Onion Seeds

8. • Onion is a cool season crop
• hardy to frost but less sensitive to heat
• The optimum temperature for seedling growth is 20-25ºC
• Growth starts declining at temperatures higher than 27ºC
• Kharif onion varieties require day length of 10-11 hours,
• Soil for onion should be deep friable and highly fertile
• Onions can be grown in all types of soils
• In general, sandy loam to clay loam soil is recommended
• The optimum pH range is between 5.8 - 6.5
• Highly alkaline and saline soils are not suitable for onion
cultivation
• Good drainage is essential.
• For vegetative growth temp 13.0 to 21.00 C + short sunshine hrs
(Short photo).
• For Better bulb production temp 15.6 to 25.10 C + Long sunshine
hrs (long photoperiod).
CLIMATE AND SOIL

9. Time of planting:
Shallow rooted crop, Oct – Nov is the best planting season. If planting earlier –
produce premature bolting in the bulbs, reducing yield and quality of the bulbs.
Methods of Planting:
A. Kharif crop:
1. Seed broadcasting method: 15th June to 15th July
2. Transplanting method: Raising seedling in nursery bed - 15th June to 15th July
→ 45 to 50 days seedling transplanted – July to August.
B. Winter crop
1. Only Transplanting:
Raising seedlings: 20th Sep to 10th Oct and transplanting: Oct – Nov
Kanji – Saurashtra region – For green vegetable and bulb production (early).
PLANTING

10. SEED RATE
•For onions, 8-10 kg seed is sufficient for raising seedlings for one hectare.
•For broadcasting directly in the field or sowing in the rows, 20-25 kg seeds
for a hectare.
SEED TREATMENT
•Application of Trichoderma viride @ 1,250 g / ha is also recommended to
manage damping off and raise healthy seedlings.
SPACING
•15 cm × 10 cm or 10 × 10 cm.
•In common big onions an spacing of 15 cm from line-to-line and 10 cm
from plant to plant is ideal
•For small pickling onion, 8 cm x 5 cm spacing has been recommended if
crop is raised by transplanting method

11. Varieties Breeding methods Special features
IARI, New Delhi
Pusa Riddhi - High Antioxidant variety
Pusa Soumya - 1st bunching onion variety
Pusa White Flat - -
Pusa Madhvi Selfing & massing -
Pusa Red - -
IIHR, Bengaluru
Arka Pitamber Suitable for Kharif & Rabi
seasons
Tolerence to purple blotch
Arka Kirthiman Male Sterile line (CMS)
Arka Kalyan - Moderatelty resistant to purple
blotch
DOG, Rajagurunagar
Bhima Red - -
Bhima Shakti - -
Bhima Kiran - -
VARIETIES

12. Varieties Breeding methods Special features
MPKV, Rahuri
Phule Safed White onion -
Phule Swarna Yellow onion -
Phule Samarath - -
Aggregatum onion CO-(on)-5 Propagation by seed
Varieties Release Year Avarage Yield (q/ha)
GAU
Junagadh Local (Pilipatti) Befor 1/06/1972 -
Gujarat White Onion-1 2000 431.45
MVRS, Anand
Gujarat Anand White Onion-2 2014 595.37
VRS, Junagadh
Gujarat Junagadh Red Onion-11 2015 323.55
Gujarat Junagadh White
Onion-3
2016 408.40

13. Gujarat White Onion-1(GW0-1)
•Release Year – 2000
•The bulbs are big in size with round
shape and white in colour
•Bulb girth is 16 to 17 cm.
•Bulb length (cm) is 7 to 8 cm.
•Bulb weight 57 to 60 g.
•Total Soluble Solids (T.S.S) is 15.42 %.
•Days to maturity - 133 to135
•Bulb yield kg/ha – 43145
•Release Year – 2015
•The bulbs are medium with flat globe
shape and red in colour.
•Bulb Polar Diameter (Height) is 4.02 cm.
•Bulb Equator Diameter (Girth) is 5.36 cm.
•Bulb weight 60 to 62 g.
•Total Soluble Solids (T.S.S) is 12.94 %.
•Days to maturity - 127 to130
•Bulb yield kg/ha – 32355
Gujarat Junagadh Red Onion-11
Gujarat Junagadh White Onion-3 (GJWO-3)
•Release Year – 2016
•The bulbs are medium in size with flat globe shape and white in colour
•Bulb Polar Diameter is 4.23 cm.
•Bulb Equator Diameter is 5.16 cm.
•Bulb weight 65 to 70 g.
•Total Soluble Solids (T.S.S) is 13.15 %.
•Days to maturity - 127 to130
•Bulb yield kg/ha – 39806

15. •Most Suitable variety for dehydration: Punjab-48 (TSS: 14.6%) ,
Country Queen
•Onion variety suitable hilly area: Brown Spanish, White Spanish &
Cream Gold
•Yellow coloured onion bulb varieties: Early Grano
•Resistant to purple blotch: Italica Red & Local Brazilian
•Resistant to thrips: N-53 & Pusa Ratnar
•Suitable for kharif & rabi seasons: Arka Niketan
•Suitable for kharif seasons: Arka Kalyan, Agrifound Dark Red, N-53,
N-2-4-1
•Suitable for salad purpose: Udaipur-101, Early Grano
•Multiplier onion variety: Co-1,2,3,4,MDU-1, Agrifound Red
IMPROVED VARIETY WITH SPECIFIC PURPOSE

16. Onion seeds are sown in nursery beds to raise seedlings
•Best time for sowing early-kharif crop is February-April in South,
May-June in Maharashtra and other parts, August-September for
late-kharif and October-November for rabi in plains all over the
country
•In hills (higher altitudes), March-April is ideal sowing time
•Raised beds of about 3 m long, 0.6 meter wide and 20-30 cm high
are prepared
•About 70cm distance is kept between 2 beds to carry out operations
of watering, weeding, etc,.
•Sowing should be done in lines spaced at 5-7 cm distance
RAISING OF SEEDLINGS

17. •Onion needs a heavy dose of fertilizers for a good yield
•75:60:50 kg NPK/ha
•About 20-25 tonnes of farmyard/ha
•Full amount of P & K & half of N is added before transplanting
•Rest of the N is to be given as a single dose 20-25 days after
transplanting or it is given into 2 doses in seedling transplanted
onion,first 30 & second 45-60 days after transplanting
• The water requirement of its crop at initial growth is less.
•It depends on crop growth, soil type and planting season.
•In Rabi crop 8-10 interval irrigations
•Kharif crop 15-20 interval irrigations
•Irrigation should be stopped when tops mature and start falling in rabi
season.
• In kharif season it should be stopped 10 days before harvesting.
• Last irrigation 10-15 days before harvesting gives lower storage losses.
MANURES AND FERTILIZERS
IRRIGATION

18. • During early stages of the crop, plants grow slowly and it is essential to
remove weeds.
• Pre-plant incorporation of Basalin (2 kg a.i./ha) along with one hand
weeding at 45 days after transplanting to control weeds.
• Being a shallow rooted crop, deep inter-culture operation is likely to
injure roots and reduce yield.
INTERCULTURING

19. • Onion is ready for harvest in 2-3 months & 3-5 months for green &
dry onions transplanting respectively
• So optimum time for harvesting time is when leaves start turning
yellow & becoming dry at the top & 50% leaves have fallen
• Bulbs turn red & attain their optimum varietal size.
• Spraying of 1500 ppm MH 15 days before harvesting reduced
sprouting during storage.
• Common big onions give 25-30 tonnes/ha yield,
• small pickling onions give 16-20 tonnes/ha
• multiplier onions 15-18 tonnes/ha.
HARVESTING & YIELD

20. •Curing is an essential operation after harvesting.
•It will remove excess moisture from outer skin and neck of
onion bulbs.
•Curing increases storage life of the onion bulbs.
•It is also helps in improving the colour of the skin.
•Properly cured onion will have tight skin and well dried
outer skin usually, 10 to 15 days or so will be sufficient for
curing the onion bulbs.
CURING

21. In order to protect onion bulbs from rotting, shriveling and sprouting, storage
should be proper. For storing the bulbs which are immature, injured, soft and
thick necked should be stored out. Onion bulbs store well at 0-20 to 2.20 C
temperature and 64 % RH. Generally kharif season crop do not store well.
If cold storage facility is not available some traditional methods can also be used.
1. Storing onion on string: With the help of rope onion bulbs are tied on their
neck arranged in spirally manner around the rope and hanged in the well
ventilated shed.
2. Spread onion on floor: Bulbs are spread on the floor in the shed with making
layer of 10 to 15 cm thick. The bulbs are turned time to time and rotten, damaged
and sprouted bulbs are removed.
3. Store in trays:
STORAGE

22. Diseases Causal organism Special features
Purple blotch Alternaria porri Seed borne, Serious foliar
disease
Basal rot Fusarium oxysporium Seed borne
Black mould Aspergillus niger Most common post harvest
storage disease
Downy mildew Pernospora destructor -
Onion smut Urocystis capsulae Soil borne disease
Pests:
Onion thrips Thrips tabaci Major pest in the world
Onion fly Delia antique -
Onion mite Aceria tulipae -
Nematode:
Onion buld & Stem
Nematode
Ditylenchus dipsaci -
PESTS & DISEASES

23. Bolting
Bolting refers to premature seedling or flowering, i.e., premature seed
stalk development. This development of premature flowering stalks and
seeds in stead of producing storage organs (bulb) reduce the quality of
marketability of these crops.
Bolting in onion takesplace to the extent of 50-80 % in early rabi and late
Kharif. Under the condition of bolting, bulbs become light red, fibrous and
show very poor keeping quality
Critical Factors For Bolting In Onion
• Lower temperature induces bolting in onion
• Higher nitrogen doses induces bolting
• Combined application of potassium and zinc reduces
bolting
• Bolting can be reduced ridge planting when compared
to flat bed planting.
PHYSIOLOGICAL DISORDERS

25. Botanical Name: - Allium sativam
Family: - Alliaceae
Ch. No. :- 16 (2n)
Garlic is native to Europe
• It’s belonging to Alliaceae family and known by several many names
in different parts of India.
• In India it known as Lahsun.
• Garlic possesses medicinal properties.
• Ayurveda, Garlic is considered as “Nectar of Life”.
• Garlic is sexually sterile diploid
INTRODUCTION

26. • China ranked 1st in area and production and India ranks 2nd in area.
• In Gujarat, garlic occupied an area of about 35,895 hectares with
total bulb production of 2, 50,085 metric tons during 2010-2011.
• Highest area & production in india: Madhya Pradesh
• Highest productivity in india: Jammu & Kashmir
• Allicin is the antibacterial substances of garlic & has the typical
odour of fresh garlic.
• Garlic is frost hardy plant & short day

27. • It can be cultivated in a wide range of soils from sandy loam to clay
loam with good drainage facilities. The optimum pH would be 6.5-7.5.
• Garlic grow vigorously in warm climates are adapted to temperature
range of 13-24° C for vegetative stage, 16-21° C for bulb stage, 30 -35°
C at maturity and harvest.
• The best performance can be obtained in a mild weather without the
extremes of cold, heat and excess rainfall.
Propagation
• Garlic is propagated by cloves.
SOIL & CLIMATE

28. VARIETY INSTITUTION COLOUR
Agrifound Parvati (G313) NHRDF Purple
Agrifound White (G-41) NHRDF White
Yamuna Safed (G-1) NHRDF White
Yamuna Safed-2 (G-50) NHRDF White
Yamuna Safed-3 (G-282 ) NHRDF White
Yamuna Safed-4 (G-323) NHRDF White
Shweta MPKV White
Godavari MPKV White
T-5-64 PAU White
Ooty1 TNAU White
Bhima Omkar NRCOG White
GARLIC VARIETIES DEVELOPED BY DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS IN INDIA

29. Varieties Release Year Avarage Yield (q/ha)
GAU (After 1/06/1972)
Gujarat Garlic - 2 1993 74.57
Gujarat Garlic - 3 1999 75.35
VRS, Junagadh
Gujarat Garlic – 4 2007 89.33
Gujarat Junagadh - 5 2014 79.42
MVRS, Anand
Gujarat Anand Garlic - 6 2014 91.89
GARLIC VARIETIES DEVELOPED BY GUJARAT

30. Gujarat Garlic-2 (GG-2)
•Release Year-1993
•The bulbs are medium in size, compact and
white in color.
• Bulb girth is 10.53 cm.
•No. of average cloves per bulb is 22.27
•Bulb weight 14.0 g.
•Total Soluble Solids (T.S.S.) is 35.20 %.
•Good storage capacity due to Compact bulb.
•Days to maturity- 135 to140
•Bulb yield kg/ha – 7535
•Release Year-1999
•The bulbs are medium in size, compact and
white in color.
• Bulb girth is 10.2 cm.
•No. of average cloves per bulb is 21.4
•Bulb weight 13.0 g.
•Total Soluble Solids (T.S.S.) is 37.10 %.
•Good storage capacity due to Compact bulb.
•Days to maturity- 135 to140
•Bulb yield kg/ha – 7457
Gujarat Garlic – 3 (GG-3)
•The bulbs are medium in size, compact and white in color.
•Bulb length 4.70cm. while Bulb girth is 11.2 cm.
•No. of average cloves per bulb is 21. Days to maturity- 134
•Bulb weight 19.1 g. Total Soluble Solids (T.S.S.) is 36.12 %.
•Good storage capacity due to Compact bulb.
•Bulb yield kg/ha – 8933
Gujarat Garlic-4 (GG-4) (2007)

32. Planting time
• Usually garlic sown in between mid-October and late November
depending on climatic condition.
Spacing
• Spacing of garlic is 10 x 7.5 cm, 12.5 x 7.5 cm and 15 x 10 cm
Land preparation
• For preparing the land, the land is ploughed to fine tilth by giving 4 to 5
ploughings with sufficient interval between two ploughings
• The ploughing should be shallow as most of the roots penetrate to a
depth of not more than 8 – 10 cm
• The planting should be done for proper leveling
PLANTING

33. Seed Rate: Garlic - 400-500 kg/ha cloves.
Seed Treatment:-
• Seed treatment with Thiram + Carbendazim (2:1) @ 3g/kg seed or
Trichoderma @ 4-6 g/kg seed
 Fertilizers: Garlic 50:50:50 NPK kg/ha
• Apply 50% N and 100% P, K as basal dose and remaining 50% of N
to be applied in 30 days after transplanting.
 Weed control
• Weed control can be achieved by cultivation, hand-hoeing or by
applying registered herbicides.
• Deep cultivation close to the plants should be avoided as root damage
with subsequent yield losses may occur.
• Spray of Basalin @ 40 ml/10 liter or Pendemithilin 40 ml/10 liter

34. • The crop is considered ready for harvesting when the tops turn
yellowish colour and show signs of drying up and bend over.
• The bulbs mature in about 4-5 months planting.
• Harvesting at 100 % neck fall gave minimum storage losses and
field curing for 3-5 days.
HARVESTING

35. • Average yield: 10-20 t/ha depending on the variety and climate.
• Recovery of clove in bulbs ranges from 86-90% depending on the
variety.
YIELD

36.  Drying and curing:-
• Drying is done to remove excess moisture from outer skin and neck to
reduce storage rot.
• While curing is an additional process of drying to remove the excess
moisture and to allow the bulbs to become compact and go into
dormant stage.
• It is done for about a week in the field for drying.
• Bulbs are covered along with their tops to avoid damage to bulbs from
sun. These are also cured for 7-10 days in shade.
• After curing the tops by leaving 2.5 cm above the bulbs and removing
the roots.
• Artificial curing can be done by passing hot air at 27.35ºC through the
curing room. It takes about 48 hours for complete curing process if
humidity is between 60 - 75%.
POST- HARVEST MANAGEMENT

37. • Garlic bulbs after curing are run over a grader or graded manually before
their storage or marketing.
• The thick- necked, splitted, injured, diseased or bulbs with hollow cloves are
sorted out.
• Size grading is done after sorting.
• It is very much necessary for getting better price and to minimize losses on
account of decay.
• Government of India has prescribed certain grade designations for different
qualities of garlic for export.
• In India, garlic bulbs are packed in open mesh jute bags.
• As per the garlic grading and packing rules, 18 and 25 kg packing are done
in perforated corrugated cardboard boxes for export.
• Nylon-netted bags used for packing and further storage cause minimum
losses in storage.
• In foreign countries, plastic-wooven bags are very commonly used.
SORTING, GRADING & PACKAGING

38. • Thoroughly cured garlic bulbs are stored well in ordinary well-
ventilated rooms.
• Storage without tops in nylon-netted bags give better performance at
Nasik and Karnal as such the same has been recommended for storage
to minimize loss.
• Cloves sprout quickly at 4.4ºC and prolonged storage in this
temperature range should be avoided.
• Storage at 0.5ºC is satisfactory.
• Cold storage of garlic is possible at 32-36ºF and 60-70% relative
humidity.
• UV light treatment for 30 minutes further reduces loss to 8% in cold
stores for 150 days storage.
STORAGE

39. Diseases Control
Purple blotch
Spray of dithane M45 @ 0.25% or ridomil 1 gm/liter of
water with sticker @1 ml/liter
Stemphylium
blight
Spray of dithane M45 @ 0.25% or ridomil 1 gm/liter of
water with sticker @1 ml/liter
Powdery mildew
Sulphur fungicides @ 2.0 g/ litre of water if sprayed at
regular intervals of 15 days after disease appearance.
with sticker @1 ml/liter
Cercospora leaf
blight
Spraying of thiram or captan @ 2.0 g/litre of water or
copper oxychloride @ 3.0 g /litre of water with sticker
@1 ml/liter at fortnightly intervals
MAJOR DISEASES AND PEST OF GARLIC AND THEIR CONTROL MEASURE

40. Insect/ pest Control
Thrips
Spraying of Malathion @ 1 ml/ litre or
methyldemeton @ 0.75 ml/ litre of water with
sticker @1 ml/liter
Stem and bulb nematode
Pre-planting soil fumigation with dichloro-
propene-dichloropropane mixture @ 500 kg/ha
is recommended
Mites Dusting of the sulphur@ 22 kg/ha

41. 1. Bulb sprouting :- Excess N2 + Soil moisture
2. Splitting :- Delays harvesting
PHYSIOLOGICAL DISORDER