Crop Guide: Onion

    Suggested fertilization programs for onion

 

The holistic approach of Haifa for plant nutrition offers the growers diverse options for enhancing the plant performance and fertilizer use efficiency.

In Haifa's plant nutrition approach, the fertilization program takes in consideration alternative fertilizer formulas and alternative application methods (fertigation only, fertigation + foliar, fertigation + controlled release fertilizer or controlled release fertilizer only) for each growth stage and for different environmental conditions to match the plant's nutrition special needs.

These fertilization programs take into consideration:

 

• The plant uptake curve for each elements (macro, secondary and micronutrients) for each plant growth stage.

 

• The best application method for each plant growth stage and for every environmental and climate conditions (the methods can be fertigation only, fertigation + foliar, fertigation + controlled release fertilizer, controlled release fertilizer only)

 

• Alternative fertilizer formulas or application methods for different conditions that may occur during the growth cycle such as unpredictable climate conditions (drought or extreme temperature) and plant diseases that will damage roots absorption or the leaf's activity.

Special foliar fertilizers with prolonged and better action can be added to the fertilization programs to improve the root uptake and boost plant performance, as part of the overall nutritional program.

 

The main programs for onion are:

1. Base and side dressing - Simple and basic program where fertigation cannot be use.
2. Base application with controlled release fertilizer (Multicote) + side dressing - for better nutrient use efficiency, saving application costs and less soil compaction.
3. Fertigation using straight fertilizers + side dressing - for better nutrient use efficiency, saving application costs and soil compaction.
4. Base dressing with Haifa Turbo-K and fertigation using Poly-Feed (NPK soluble fertilizer) - precise nutrient formula application, better nutrient use efficiency, saving application costs and less soil compaction.
5. Base dressing with controlled release fertilizer (Multicote) and fertigation for precise nutrient application rate with precise nutrient formula (Poly-Feed).
6. Complementary foliar nutrition - To enhance plant performance during periods of special needs (nutrients disorders or abiotic stress)

 

 

Basic assumptions for the following fertilization programs:

Growing medium: Open field.
Soil type: Light to medium.
Expected yield: 65 MT/Ha (85% moisture).

 

Kilograms of macro nutrients removed by 1 ton marketable product

N	P2O5	K2O	CaO	MgO	S
3.0-4.0	1.3-1.8	2.5-5	1.0	0.5	1.8-2.8

 

 

Examples of 5 detailed Fertilization programs for onion:

 

Option 1. Base and side dressing - Simple and basic program where fertigation cannot be use.

Stage description	Pre-plant	Establishment	Vegetative growth	Bulb initiation	Bulb development	Maturation
duration		30 days	30 days	30 days	30 days	30 days
Fertilizers (kg/ha)
Haifa Turbo-K™ 15-15-15	400	300
Haifa MAP™ 11-52-0	235
Haifa K-Mag 0-0-22+18MgO +22 SO3	250				250
Dolomite 26%	254
Urea 46-0-0					226
Total nutrients  (kg/ha)
N	862	45			104
P2O5	122
K2O	60	45			55
MgO	30				30
CaO	66

 

Total nutrients (kg/ha)

N	P2O5	K2O	MgO	CaO
235	122	215	60	66

 

* In soil with high phosphorus levels use Haifa Turbo-K™ 18-09-18

 

 

Option 2. Base application with controlled release fertilizer (Multicote) + side dressing - for better nutrient use efficiency, saving application costs and less soil compaction.

Due to the high nutrients use efficiency with Multicote™, application rates can be reduced to about 70% of the N and K₂O compared to conventional fertilization.

 

	Application rate - % of common practice			% coated nutrients
	N	P2O5	K2O	N	P2O5	K2O
Light soil	60-70	100	70	70	-	30-50
Heavy soil	70-90	100	80	50	-	30-50

 

 

Stage description	Pre-plant	Establishment		Vegetative growth		Bulb initiation		Bulb development		Maturation
duration		30 days		30 days		30 days		30 days		30 days
Fertilizers (kg/ha)
Multicote™ Agri 15-15-15	1000
Dolomite 26%	250					250
Multi-K™ 13-0-46						100
Total nutrients  (kg/ha)
N	150					13
P2O5	150
K2O	150					45
MgO	25					25
CaO	65					65
Total nutrients (kg/ha)	N		P2O5		K2O		MgO		CaO
	163		150		195		50		130

 

 

Option 3. Fertigation using straight fertilizers + side dressing - for better nutrient use efficiency, saving application costs and  less soil compaction.

 

Stage description	Pre-plant	Establishment	Vegetative growth	Bulb initiation	Bulb development	Maturation
duration		30 days	30 days	30 days	30 days	30 days
Fertilizers (kg/ha)
Multi-K™ 13-0-46		100	140	140	170
Haifa MAP™ 11-52-0		75	50	50	50
Magnisal™ 11-0-0+16MgO		34	68	68	90
Haifa Cal™  11-0-0+26CaO		50	50	75	75
Ammonium Nitrate 34-0-0		25	25	50	50
Total nutrients  (kg/ha)
N		42	48	48	66
P2O5		46	31	31	31
K2O		46	64	64	78
MgO		5	11	11	14
CaO		13	13	13	20

 

Total nutrients (kg/ha)

N	P2O5	K2O	MgO	CaO
204	139	252	41	59

 

 

Option 4. Fertigation  using Poly-Feed (NPK soluble fertilizer) - precise nutrient formula application, better nutrient use efficiency, saving application costs and less soil compaction.

Stage description	Pre-plant	Establishment	Vegetative growth	Bulb initiation	Bulb development	Maturation
duration		30 days	30 days	30 days	30 days	30 days
Fertilizers (kg/ha)
Poly-Feed™ 12-43-12		45
Poly-Feed™ 19-19-19			240
Poly-Feed™ 14-7-21				300
Poly-Feed™ 12-5-40					675
Magnisal™ 11-0-0+16MgO			60	60	110
Haifa Cal™  11-0-0+26CaO			60	60	110
Total nutrients  (kg/ha)
N		5	61	58	110
P2O5		19	46	21	34
K2O		5	46	63	270
MgO			10	10	18
CaO			16	16	29

 

Total nutrients (kg/ha)

N	P2O5	K2O	MgO	CaO
234	120	384	38	61

 

 

Option 5. Base dressing with controlled release fertilizer (Multicote) and fertigation for precise nutrient application rate with precise nutrient formula (Poly-Feed).

Due to the high fertilizing efficiency of the Multicote™, the application rate will be only ~70% of the N and K₂O common application practice:

 

Stage description	Pre-plant	Establishment	Vegetative growth	Bulb initiation	Bulb development	Maturation
duration		30 days	30 days	30 days	30 days	30 days
Fertilizers (kg/ha)
Multicote™ Agri 15-15-15	300
Poly-Feed™ 19-19-19		100
Poly-Feed™ 14-7-21			100	150
Poly-Feed™ 12-5-40					600
Magnisal™ 11-0-0+16MgO		60	60	60	90
Haifa Cal™  11-0-0+26CaO		60	60	60	90
Total nutrients  (kg/ha)
N	45	35	30	37	95
P2O5	45	19	7	11	30
K2O	45	19	21	32	240
MgO		10	10	10	14
CaO		16	10	16	24

Total nutrients (kg/ha)

N	P2O5	K2O	MgO	CaO
242	112	357	44	72

 

 

Complementary foliar nutrition - To enhance plant performance during periods of special needs (nutrients disorders or abiotic stress)

Foliar application of nutrients provides complementary fertilization with high added value, corrective nutrition when deficiencies are noticed and growth boosting during critical stages of the crop development. This foliar nutrition program can be added to all fertilization programs.

 

Stage description	Pre-plant	Establishment	Vegetative growth	Bulb initiation	Bulb development	Maturation
duration		30 days	30 days	30 days	30 days	30 days
Fertilizers (kg/ha)
Poly-Feed™ 20-20-20		1 kg/ha, conc. 0.5%	1.5 kg/ha, conc. 0.5%
Magnisal™ 11-0-0+16MgO				2 kg/ha, conc. 1%	2 kg/ha, conc. 1%
Haifa Bonus™				5 kg/ha, conc. 2%	5 kg/ha, conc. 2%

 

 

Proven Results

 

1. Multicote™ Agri trial in Israel , 2016

 

•  

		Rate (kg/ha)	N rate (kg/ha)	% N of common practice
Control - No fertilization
Common practice
Multicote™ Agri Hi
Multicote™ Agri Med
Multicote™ Agri Lo

 

The common practice fertilization was applied by base dressing + 10 top dressings

Multicote™ Agri treatments were applied by single application

 

 

 

	Fertilizer cost $/ha	Application cost	Total cost
Common practice
Multicote™ Agri Hi
Multicote™ Agri Med
Multicote™ Agri Lo

 

• All Multicote Agri treatments resulted in higher yields compared to the farmers practice.
• The Multicote™Agri 50% N treatment was the most profitable treatment.

 

 

 

1. Multicote™ Agri trial in Mexico, 2007-2008  

Location: INIFAD research center

Plot wat irrigated by flooding onion in

 

Treatment no.	Rate (kg/ha)		% CRF		Yield (ton/ha)
	N	K2O	N	K2O	Total	Jumbo	Large	Medium	Small
T1	0	0	0	0	28.15d	8.64	56.66	29.03	5.72
T2	100	100	50	30	52.69c	26.31	49.18	22.99	1.55
T3	100	100	30	30	49.96c	19.96	52.93	25.44	1.66
T4	140	140	50	30	57.71ab	24.91	49.70	23.70	1.68
T5	140	140	30	30	61.78a	17.42	61.48	20.41	0.68
T6 (conventional)	200	200	0	0	53.33bc	20.44	52.61	24.47	2.48
DSH (0.05)					4.5
CV (%)					4.0

 

Economic analysis ($/ha)

Treatment no.	Total income	Variable costs	Total costs	Net income	Benefit: cost ratio
T1	33503	0	30000	3503	0.12
T2	67069	4325	34325	32744	0.95
T3	62353	3824	33824	28711	0.85
T4	73111	5787	35784	37324	1.04
T5	78389	5085	35085	43304	1.23
T6 (conventional)	66674	3940	33940	32734	0.96

 

 

 

 

 

Conclusions: This trial in flooded onion field proved the following:

 The CRF treatment gave more yield, more dry matter and better absorption of N.P.K .

Net income obtained with CRF treatments was higher than conventional and control treatments.

 

3. Multicote™  Agri trials in commercial farms, Mexico

 

1. Las Adelinas farm

Location: Abasolo, Guanajuato state, Mexico.

Variety: Cirrus, area : 4.4 ha

Sowing: 17-18/8/2009, Harvest : 15/12/2009

 

Farmer's practice

Fertilizer	Rate (kg/ha)	Total nutrients applied (kg/ha)
		N	P2O5	K2O	CaO	MgO
Base 13-18-20	500	67	92	100
Fertigation		233	39	256	72	36
Total		300	131	356	72	36

 

Haifa treatment

Fertilizer	Rate (kg/ha)	Total nutrients applied (kg/ha)
		N	P2O5	K2O	CaO	MgO
Base: Multicote™ Agri (4) 21-17-17	553	117	92	94
Fertigation		94	40	153	72	36
Total		211	132	248	72	36

 

Yield results (MT/ha)

Treatment	Total yield	Bulb size
		rejected	small	medium	large	XL
Farmer's practice	56.98	2.34	10.51	31.54	11.45	1.14
Multicote™ Agri	63.30	2.53	5.06	27.85	24.05	3.80

 

 

1. El Palomar farm

Location: Abasolo, Guanajuato, Mexico

Variety: Carta Blanca, area: 8 ha.

Sowing: August 2010, Harvest: January  2011.

 

Farmer's practice

Fertilizer	Rate (kg/ha)	Total nutrients applied (kg/ha)
		N	P2O5	K2O	CaO	MgO
Base 13-18-20	500	67	92	100
Fertigation		233	28	250	60	15
Total		300	120	350	60	15

 

Haifa treatment

Fertilizer	Rate (kg/ha)	Total nutrients applied (kg/ha)
		N	P2O5	K2O	CaO	MgO
Base: Multicote™ Agri (4) 21-17-17	553	117	92	94
Fertigation		94	40	153	72	36
Total		211	132	248	72	36

 

 

 

 

Yield results (MT/ha)

Treatment	Total yield	Bulb size
		rejected	small	medium	large	XL
Farmer's practice	78.11	11.26	2.73	17.40	33.09	13.64
Multicote™ Agri	87.61	8.60	4.30	23.86	39.50	11.34

 

 

1. Spring Onion trial in Australia

Grower's practice

Fertilizer	No of applications	Kg/ha				Cost of application
		Total	N	P2O5	K2O
Granular 12-11.4-18	1 base	800	96	91.2	144	11.7
Granular 20-0-19	2 top	800	160	0	152	23.4
SOP	1 top	800	0	0	416
Total	4	2400	256	91.2	712

 

Haifa treatment

Fertilizer	No of applications	Kg/ha
		Total	N	P2O5	K2O
Multicote™ Agri (4) 13.5-4.5-36.5	1 base	1140	153.9	51.3	416.1

 

 

 

Yields and profitability (after 14 weeks)

	Grower's practice	Multicote™ Agri	Difference
Yield(covers/plot)	140	162	22
Covers /ha	17,724	20,509	2,785
Profitability US$/ plot	595.1	688.7	93.6
US$/ha	75,345	87,195	11,850

Cover = 10 bunches

Plots = 79 X1 m, 4 rows per plot

126.6 plots /ha. Cover estimated price: 4.251 us$

 

     

 

 

Conclusions: Multicote™ Agri treatment resulted in

• Higher uniformity -  plants with the same color
• Greater weight per bunch, higher total returns
• Labor saving
• Less harm caused by machinery

 

 

Foliar nutrition trial, Mexico

Location: Pénjamo, Guanajuato

Variety: Cal-214, area : 1.5 ha.

Sowing: 14/10/2009.

 

​

#	Treatment	Spray concentration	No. of applications	Time interval between applications
1	Haifa Bonus™ Lo	2%	2	15 days
2	Haifa Bonus™ Med	4%	2	15 days
3	Haifa Bonus™ Hi	6%	1
4	Control	0	0
5	Conventional

 

 

 

Foliar nutrition trial, Peru

Foliar Application of  Poly-Feed™ and Haifa Bonus™ npK in red Onion  Arequipeña type , 

Santa Rita zone -  Arequipa – Fundo América - 2010:

 

Size	Poly-Feed™ 1%	Poly-Feed™ 2%	Haifa Bonus™ 1%	Haifa Bonus™ 2%	Control
Paneton	8.0	5.9	11.0	6.2	5.01
Primera	23.8	18.25	27.0	22.5	18.24
Segunda	3.0	3.85	3.65	2.98	4.98
Floreada	22.0	19.95	15.1	15.7	13.6
Total	56.8	47.95	56.75	47.38	41.83
Yield kg/ha	63,108	53,275	63,053	52,637	46,479

 

Poly-Feed™ 12-6-40+ME

Haifa Bonus™ 13-2-44

 

 

 

Bibliography

 

• Boyhan and Kelly. Onion production guide. The University of Georgia, 2008.
• Conn et al. "Onion Disease Guide." Seminis, 2012.
• FAO. Crop Water Information: Onion. 2015. https://www.fao.org/nr/water/cropinfo_onions.html.
• FAOSTAT. FAOSTAT. n.d. https://faostat3.fao.org/home/E  (accessed 2016).
• Onions Australia. Onions Australia. 2016. https://www.onionsaustralia.org.au/index.htm  (accessed 2016).
• Oregon state university. "Nutrient Management for Onions in the Pacific Northwest." 2001.
• Phill Sinclair. "The botany of onions." Australian Onion Grower, Vol. 5, 1988.
• Shannon and Grieve. 1999. Tolerance of vegetable crops to salinity, U.S. Salinity Laboratory Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service
• Thangasamy, 2016, 4R Nutrient Management for Onion in India
• UC Davis. ONION Leaf Analysis Guide for Diagnosing Crop Nutrient Status. https://vric.ucdavis.edu/veg_info/onion_leaf_analysis.htm  (accessed 2016).
• University of Georgia. "Onion production guide." 2007