Nunhems USA, part of Bayer CropScience, continues to work with onion growers in the Treasure Valley to commercialize new onion varieties that will meet production challenges and increase production efficiencies.

In early September, Rene Emch, Nunhems’ global product specialist-onions, provided some insights into research currently being conducted in the Treasure Valley. Nunhems is located in Parma, ID, and is part of Bayer CropScience.

The vegetable seed business commercialized the Vaquero, the variety that has dominated production in the Idaho-Eastern Oregon growing region. The Vaquero is a long day Spanish-type onion that was introduced commercially in 1992. The variety is well-adapted to the valley’s dry, hot conditions prevailing during the production season. The Vaquero, a highly single-centered variety, gives onion producers maximum flexibility on the production side, as its characteristics allow it to be sold to both the fresh and process sectors.

Nunhems’ success with the Vaquero has led to the commercialization of other hybrids such as the Granero, Ranchero, Montero, Arcero and Anillo. “In a similar class, we have released Pandero, Valero, Campero and Utrero. We continue to actively breed in this class, looking for better disease resistance, exterior scale quality, single centers and storage,” Emch said at the 2012 Onion Showcase held at Story Farms in Roswell, ID.

Emch was asked what new varieties are currently being tested that address issues such as heat resistance, iris yellow spot virus and thrips. “Joaquin is a recent release from our long day yellow breeding program that is showing the best tolerances to the three stressors you mentioned,” he replied. “Thrips are the vector for IYSV and will be present in all onion fields. Variety vigor, overall plant health and good farming practices will lead to lower plant stress. Under these conditions, IYSV will not be as easily expressed.”

Current onion research holds promise for Treasure Valley producers. “New commercial varieties such as Joaquin are helping an onion grower have a better crop,” Emch stated. “New experimental varieties, such as NUN 8003 ON, a white onion, are showing more tolerance to thrips and IYSV than the other white onions that are commercially available. NUN 7202 ON is bringing a higher level of single center percentages to the long-term storage segment of the Treasure Valley onion crop.”

He is personally excited about the integration of technology from seed treatments to storage buildings and packaging. “The seed and variety performance is only one part of the package a grower puts together to make successful crop,” he explained. “I am seeing more and more onion producers trying to put the entire package together to make their business as successful as possible. It is exciting to be part of that team.”

Nunhems continues to evaluate the potential for new seed varieties and makes seed available to growers for field trials. Emch said this helps researchers and producers better understand the strengths of individual varieties. “It’s all about understanding the growing concepts and bringing knowledge to our customers, once we’ve learned that information,” he said.

Emch pointed out that research efforts are not geared toward replacing the Vaquero. “It has been, and is, a good variety,” he stated. “That being said, 20 years of research and breeding had led to varieties that are more specialists and some that are more generalists. In the Treasure Valley, Joaquin is a good example of a variety that is a great ‘generalist.’ It has the IYSV, thrips and heat tolerance mentioned above. It yields well. It has high single centers. It is very ‘grower friendly.’ In the ‘specialist’ class, we have introduced varieties like Arcero and Anillo that have very high single centers, work well for the processing trade, and are also used in the consumer pack that is a growing trend in the Treasure Valley. Their interior color remains white in storage, which really pleases the fresh-cut customers.”

Ongoing research is looking beyond the bounds of yield per acre to boost production. “Yield, in the traditional sense of hundredweight per acre out of the field is only one aspect,” he explained. “We are much more interested in packed yield or recovery, which is what the grower is paid for. Also, flexibility of usage is important. As an example, not all the onions will need to have high single centers. But having all your onions be high in single centers gives you more marketing choices. Is it an onion that the ‘downstream’ consumer will prefer, and hence ask for, or want again? These are the subtle differences that help a variety stay in the market for 20 years.”