Vidalia onion producers mark your calendars. There will be a Vidalia onion crop update on Thursday, Feb. 10 at the University of Georgia Vidalia Onion and Vegetable Research Center in Lyons, Georgia. The event will last from 10 a.m. to noon. UGA specialists and industry leaders will provide an update on the current crop’s status as well as any timely …
Better Now Than Later: Vidalia Onions Should Recover After Wind Damage
By Clint Thompson High wind speeds a week ago bruised some of Georgia’s Vidalia onion plants. Fortunately, it happened now as opposed to two months later closer to harvest. That’s the feeling shared by Chris Tyson, University of Georgia Extension Area Onion Agent at the Vidalia Onion & Vegetable Research Center in Lyons, Georgia. “That bruising where the onions got …
Vidalia Onion Farmers Ahead of Planting Schedule
By Clint Thompson Georgia’s Vidalia onion farmers are ahead of schedule in planting next year’s crop. The dry weather in the southeastern part of the state is a reason why, says Chris Tyson, University of Georgia Extension Area Onion Agent at the Vidalia Onion & Vegetable Research Center in Lyons, Georgia. “In a typical year, we’ll usually start around the …
New Species: UGA Researchers Discover ‘Onion Devourer’ Bacteria
University of Georgia researchers have identified a new species of bacteria, which they have named Pseudomonas alliivorans — from “allium vorans,” which translates as onion devourer or eater. As part of a multistate, four-year project, UGA Cooperative Extension vegetable disease specialist Bhabesh Dutta and his team surveyed onions at every stage of production — from seedling to mature bulb and …
Onion Growers Stay Vigilant Against Diseases
By Clint Thompson The management strategies for onion diseases remain the same for Georgia’s Vidalia onion growers heading into next season. Growers need to stay vigilant in their spray programs against fungal and bacteria diseases, says Bhabesh Dutta, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension vegetable disease specialist. “Onion is a six-month crop, and Vidalia onions are also stored for a few …
Calculating Calcium: Georgia Onions Could Benefit From Additional Application
By Clint Thompson Georgia’s onion crop can benefit from additional calcium applications. That’s the messaged relayed by Tim Coolong, associate professor in the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Coolong presented information during a recent UGA Extension Vidalia Onion meeting. Since Georgia’s onion crop is grown on sandy soils, calcium can be at lower levels than they …
Chlopyrifos Ban to Impact Onion, Sweet Potato Farmers
By Clint Thompson The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recent decision to ban the use of the pesticide chlorpyrifos on all food means onion and sweet potato producers will need to find alternatives in six months. While those options exist, they are not nearly as effective. “There’s a reason all the growers use chlorpyrifos,” said Stormy Sparks, University of Georgia Cooperative …
VOC Seeks Nominees to Join Committee
The Vidalia Onion Committee (VOC) seeks nominations from producers to join the committee. The VOC elects eight new nominees each year as part of the process. Voting will take place on Sept. 16 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the VOC office. No absentee votes will be accepted; walk-in voting only. Nominations will be accepted until Aug. 27. Please …
Vidalia Onion Production Meeting
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension is hosting the annual Vidalia Onion Production meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 1 at the Vidalia Onion and Vegetable Research Center in Lyons, Georgia. There will be timely topics on variety trials, flavor research, disease management and fertility. Lunch will be provided. Click here to register. Call Chris Tyson at 912-551-2204 for more information. Sponsored ContentTriEst …
Onion Sweetness: Soil Conditions, Fertilizers Affect Vidalia Flavor
Source: UGA CAES Newswire University of Georgia Agricultural and Environmental Services Laboratories (AESL) researchers are ensuring sweetness is a quality of all Vidalia onions. Vidalia onions are known for their sweetness because of the low sulfur environment of the sandy Coastal Plain soils in South Georgia where they are grown, said Daniel Jackson, manager of the Crop Quality Lab, a …