🧅ONION PACKAGE OF PRACTICES

November 21, 20251 min read

BRIEF INTRODUCTION

Onion (Allium cepa L.) is a major vegetable and spice crop of the Amaryllidaceae family, rich in vitamins B and C, minerals, and sulfur compounds, and is widely used for domestic consumption, processing, and export. India is the second-largest producer of onions after China, with major producing states including Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. In Karnataka, it is mainly grown in Chitradurga, Vijayapura, Bagalkot, Dharwad, Gadag, Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Belagavi, and Haveri, with Chitradurga and Vijayapura being the top districts.

SOIL AND CLIMATE

Soil type	pH	Ideal Temperature
Well-drained, fertile, and non-crusting soil. Sandy loam to clay loam soils Remark: Highly alkaline and saline soils are not suitable	6.0-7.0	20-25℃

ONION VARIETIES

Variety Name	Suitable season	Irrigated / Dry land Adaptability	Maturity (Days)	Special Characters
Sangam Selection	Kharif	Irrigated	90–110 days.	Flat-globe bulbs, pink/red skin, 100–110 g avg bulb wt, skin dries quickly after harvest.
Red Diamond	Kharif	Irrigated	Irrigated	Globe to semi-flat. Attractive shiny red colour; Good market appearance.
KSP-135	Kharif	Irrigated	90–100 days	Semi-flat to round; Dark red bulbs, Avg bulb wt ~90–125 g (catalogue variants). Good storage.
Red Gulabi	Kharif	Irrigated	~100–120 days	Round/dark-red (China type / gulabi), Bulb wt often 100–150 g in catalogs, Good TSS / market colour.
Bhima Super	Kharif	Irrigated	10–115 days	Round/globular, dark-red types, good single-center bulbs and keeping quality, used in rabi/late kharif as well.
Prasidhi 117	Late Kharif	Irrigated	~120–125 days	Globe, dark-red; bulb wt ~110–120 g; good storage and bolting tolerance noted in seed catalogs.
Ellora Gold	Rabi / Kharif	Irrigated	110–120 days	Oval-round to round; pinkish-red / dark red; bulb wt often 120–150 g
Pune Fursungi	Kharif & Rabi	Irrigated	~110–120 days	Flat-round; light-red / pinkish red; good keeping (8–9 months storage claimed for some hybrids).
Nasik Red	Kharif and Rabi	Irrigated	~110–150 days	Red, round to flat-round; good market colour; many hybrids (N-53 series) claim better uniformity & storage.
Indo American	Kharif	Irrigated	~90 days	Light-red to red hybrids (globe to semi-flat)
INDAM Marshal	Kharif	Irrigated	90–110 days	Light-red / rhombic or globular bulbs; Early maturity / market-oriented.
Prema-178	Kharif	Irrigated	~110–115 days	Red colour, medium to large bulbs good plant vigor and uniformity.

LAND PREPARATION AND CULTIVATION METHODS

	Transplanting	Broadcasting
Seed Bed Preparation & Land Preparation	Seed bed preparation •7.5m x 1.2 m and 10cm raised beds are prepared •10 beds are required for one acre of planting •Apply 30-40kg FYM and 18-46-0 or 20-20-0-13 per acre •Sow the seeds at 7.5cm row spacing and irrigate beds immediately •3 -4 weeks after sowing, seedlings are transplanted to the main field.	Direct Land Preparation: •Plough the field thoroughly. •Apply 10 tonnes of FYM (farmyard manure) per acre. •Perform harrowing to break clods and level the field. •Broadcast fertilizer: 50 kg/acre of 18-46-0 or 20-20-0-13. •Broadcast the seeds evenly across the field.
Seed rate	2 kg/acre	3 kg/acre
Initial FYM requirements	30-40kg FYM for bed preparation	10 tonne/acre
Transplanting time	Transplant 3–4 week old healthy seedlings in the main field.
Seed treatment	Before sowing, treat the seeds with captan @ 2-3g/kg seed, Oxon 50g/kg	Before sowing, treat the seeds with captan @ 2-3g/kg seed, Oxon 50g/kg
Season of sowing	June- July, Sept- Oct, Jan- Feb	June- July, Sept- Oct, Jan- Feb
Irrigation		•First irrigation is given immediately after transplanting •Subsequent irrigation is given at 7-10 day intervals •To improve the storage life of bulbs, stop at least 15 days before harvesting. •Total number of irrigations: 15-18 (rabi) and 8-10 (kharif)
Intercrop		Chilli (suppresses weeds), Marigold, Tomato, Carrot, Palak (reduces pest populations like thrips).
Spacing		15x10cm in transplanting ;

FERTILIZER RECOMMENDATION

Crop Stage (Days)	Complex fertilizers	Foliar spray	Dosage (kg/acre)	Application Method
0-21 days	18:46:0 or 20:20:0:13	12:61:0	1 kg	Foliar spray
21–40 Days (Early vegetative);	20:20:0:13 or 24:24:0	19:19:19	1 kg	Foliar spray
40-80 Days (Vegetative growth)	12:32:16 or 10:26:26	13:0:45	1 kg	Foliar spray
80-100 Days (Bulb initiation)	MOP	0:0:50	1 kg	Foliar spray

WEED MANAGEMENT

Crop Stage (Days)	Weedicide Recommendation	Dosage
Pre-emergence	Bensulide	1 L/acre
Post-emergence (After 21 days)	(Oxyflurofen 23.5% EC + Quizalofop-ethyl 5%) or (Oxyflurofen 23.5% EC + Fenoxaprop-p-ethyl) Or (Oxyfluorfen 23.5% EC + Propaquizafop 10% EC) Propaquizafop 5% + Oxyfluorfen 12% EC	Oxyflurofen 23.5% EC- 100ml /acre (Quizalofop-ethyl 5% or Fenoxaprop-p-ethyl or Propaquizafop 10% EC) - 250 ml/acre Propaquizafop 5% + Oxyfluorfen 12% EC 350ml/acre

CROP CALENDAR

Days	Operation	Recommendation / Message to Farmer
0–21 Days (Transplanting / Seedling Establishment)	Seedling transplant/land preparation	Transplant seedlings or sow seeds. Apply pre-emergence herbicide Benuslide 1 L/acre 2–3 days after transplanting. Maintain light soil moisture with light irrigation to protect seedlings from pests and damping-off. • Apply 18:46:0 or 20:0:13
21–40 Days (Vegetative Growth)	Fertilization, irrigation, pest/disease management	Apply 25–30 kg 20:20:0:13 or 12:61:0 as top dressing or fertigation. Foliar spray 19:19:19 (0.5%) if leaves are pale. Maintain weed-free fields. Monitor and control thrips and purple blotch: Spray benzoate 5% WG 100 g/acre, Proponil 70% WG for thrips. Spray Mancozeb 75 WP 2.5 g/L for purple blotch.
40–80 Days (Bulb Initiation)	Fertilization, foliar nutrition	Apply 10:26:26 ,13:0:45 (Potassium nitrate) via fertigation or foliar spray (0.5–1%) Maintain regular irrigation to meet increased water demand Continue pest monitoring
80–100 Days (Bulb Growth)	Top dressing, irrigation, pest/disease control.	Apply MOP, 0:0:50 foliar spray and top dressing. Irrigate every 5–7 days. Monitor and control thrips, blotch, and leaf blight. Spray Benzoate 1.9% for insect and Fipronil 80 WG for Thrips. Spray Propineb 70% / Copper oxychloride 50 WP for fungal diseases.
101–120 Days (Harvest Stage)	Harvest & post-harvest handling	Stop irrigation 7–10 days before harvest. Lift mature bulbs carefully. Cure bulbs in shade for 7–10 days. Store bulbs in well-ventilated conditions and monitor for storage pests.

NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT

Macronutrients

	SYMPTOMS	RECOMMENDATION
Nitrogen (N)	•Leaves become yellowish green, erect and upright, curled, wilted, and dwarf. •At maturity, the tissue above the bulbs becomes soft.	Foliar spray of Urea 1% or DAP 2% twice at weekly intervals.
Phosphorus (P)	•Slow growth, maturity blazed. •Leaf colour becomes light green and bulbs have few dried outer peals. •Tip burn in older leaves	•Soil application of recommended dose of phosphorous should be applied at the time of sowing or planting. • Foliar spray of DAP 2% twice at fortnightly intervals.
Potassium (K)	•Potassium is highly mobile within the plant. •Symptoms of extreme potassium deficiency appear first on young leaves. •Tip burn may occur. •Leaves become dark green and erect. •Bolting (premature flowering) is promoted. •Older leaves turn yellow and necrotic.	Foliar application of K2 SO4 @1% twice at weekly interval.
Sulfur	•The leaves show a general overall chlorosis. •The yellowing is much more uniform over the entire plant including young leaves.	Foliar spray of K2 SO4 or CaSO4 @ 1% twice at fortnightly interval.
Manganese	•Leaves show tip burn, light coloured and curling. •Growth restricted. •Bulbing delayed with thick necks.	Foliar spray of MnSO4 @ 0.3% twice at fortnightly interval
Zinc	•Growth of the plant is restricted. •Leaves show interveinal necrosis. •In early zinc deficiency: Younger leaves become yellow. Pitting develops on the upper surfaces of mature leaves between veins. •As deficiency progresses: Intense interveinal necrosis develops. Main veins remain green.	Foliar spray of ZnSO4 @ 0.5% twice at for nightly interval.
Iron	•Complete yellowing of young leaves occurs. •Initially appears as interveinal chlorosis on the youngest leaves. •Progresses into overall chlorosis of the leaf. •Finally, the leaf becomes totally bleached. •Symptoms first appear on the youngest leaves.	Foliar spray of FeSO4 @ 0.5%

PEST MANAGEMENT

1. Thrips (Thrips tabaci)

Symptoms	Chemical recommendation	Traps
Silvery streaks on leaves. Leaf curling and drying at tips. Reduces bulb size and yield.	Fipronil 80% WG 16-20 g per acre or Fipronil 5% SC @ 400 ml/acre or Imidacloprid 17.8% SL @ 40 ml/acre, Acephate 20% 100 g/acre • Mix in 200 L of water/acre	Blue sticky traps (30–40 traps/acre)

2. Cutworm (Agrotis ipsilon)

Symptoms	Chemical recommendation	Traps
Seedlings cut at ground level at night. Wilted and missing plants in patches.	Lambda-cyhalothrin 2.5% EC @ 250 ml/acre, Chlorantriniliprole 9.3%+ Emamectin benzoate1.9% SC 100ml/acre , Neem oil 1000 PPM • Mix in 200 L water/acre or apply as a soil drench at planting	Pheromone traps (5–8 traps/acre); Light traps

3. Onion Maggot (Delia antiqua)

Symptoms	Chemical recommendation	Traps
Wilting of seedlings. Maggots feed on bulbs and roots. Foul smell from decaying bulbs.	Chlorpyriphos 20% EC @ 1 L/acre (soil drench) or Fipronil 5% SC @ 400 ml/acre, Chlorantriniliprole 9.3%+ Emamectin benzoate1.9% SC 100ml/acre • Mix in 200 L of water/acre	Yellow sticky traps Light traps / Sticky traps

4. Leaf Miner (Liriomyza spp.)

Symptoms	Chemical recommendation	Traps
Serpentine mines on leaves. Leaves dry and drop prematurely.	Abamectin 1.9% EC @ 160 ml/acre or Cyromazine 50% WP @ 80 g/acre • Mix in 200 L of water/acre	Yellow sticky traps (25–30 traps/acre)

5. Armyworm (Spodoptera litura)

Symptoms	Chemical recommendation	Traps
Young larvae scrape the leaf surface. Grown larvae feed voraciously, causing defoliation.	Indoxacarb 14.5% SC @ 200 ml/acre or Chlorantraniliprole 18.5% SC @ 60 ml/acre Chlorantriniliprole 9.3%+ Emamectin benzoate1.9% SC 100ml/acre • Mix in 200 L water/acre	Pheromone traps (10/acre); Light traps

6. Stem Borer (Euzophera perticella)

Symptoms	Chemical recommendation	Traps
Boring in leaf bases and pseudostems. Yellowing and drying of central leaves.	Chlorantraniliprole 18.5% SC @ 60 ml/acre, Emamectin benzoate1.9% SC 100ml/acre • Mix in 200 L of water/acre	Light traps

7. Tobacco Caterpillar (Spodoptera litura)

Symptoms	Chemical recommendation	Traps
Feeding on leaves and bulbs. Skeletonization of leaves.	Emamectin benzoate 1.9% SC@ 250ml/acre or Indoxacarb 14.5% SC @ 200 ml/acre • Mix in 200 L water/acre	Pheromone traps (10/acre); Light traps

8. Root Grub / White Grub (Holotrichia spp.)

Symptoms	Chemical recommendation	Traps
Wilting and yellowing of plants. Roots chewed; bulbs easily pulled out.	Chlorpyriphos 20% EC @ 1 L/acre (soil drench)COC, Trichoderma • Mix in 200 L water/acre	Light traps (during adult emergence)

9. Aphid (Aphis gossypii)

Symptoms	Chemical recommendation	Traps
Leaf curling, yellowing, and sticky honeydew. Stunted growth and reduced yield.	Imidacloprid 17.8% SL @ 40 ml/acre or Thiamethoxam 25% WG @ 40 g/acre or Dimethoate 30% EC @ 200 ml/acre, Profenophos50% EC 300ml/acre, Acephate 20% 100ml/acre • Mix in 200 L water/acre	Yellow sticky traps (20–25 traps/acre)

10. Red Spider Mite (Tetranychus urticae)

Symptoms	Chemical recommendation	Traps
Yellow specks and fine webbing on leaves. Leaves dry and fall prematurely.	Abamectin 1.9% EC @ 160 ml/acre • Mix in 200 L water/acre	Yellow or blue sticky traps

11. Termite (Odontotermes spp.)

Symptoms	Chemical recommendation	Traps
Wilting and drying of young plants. Feeding on underground bulbs and roots.	Chlorpyriphos 20% EC @ 1 L/acre or Fipronil 5% SC @ 400 ml/acre • Apply as soil drench	Bait traps (wood pieces soaked in water)

12. Grasshopper

Symptoms	Chemical recommendation	Traps
Ragged holes in leaves. Severe attack leads to defoliation.	Malathion 50% EC @ 400 ml/acre or Lambda-cyhalothrin 2.5% EC @ 120 ml/acre, Pride 20% 100gm/acre, Profenophos 300ml/acre • Mix in 200 L water/acre	Light traps (evening time)

DISEASE MANAGEMENT

1. Damping-off (Fusarium spp., Pythium spp., Sclerotium rolfsii)

Symptoms	Chemical recommendation
Seedlings rot at or below the soil surface (pre- or post-emergence). Collars rot, seedlings collapse.	Thiram @ 2 g/kg seed (seed treatment); Nursery drench/soil drench Thiram @ 2 g/L water; Trichoderma viride soil application @ 0.5 kg/acre. Metalaxyl + Mancozeb 72% WP 2–2.5 g/L water, Kasugamycin5%+COC 45%WP 100gm/acre, Tebuconazole 300ml/acre, Sulphur 80%WG 1kg/acre

2. Purple Blotch (Alternaria porri)

Symptoms	Chemical recommendations
Small sunken flecks on leaves or stalks, often with purple centers. Lesions may girdle the leaf, causing drooping or death of leaves.	Mancozeb 75% WP @ 2.5 g/L water or Chlorothalonil @ 2 g/L or Iprodione @ 2.5 g/L, Mix in 200 L of water per acre (approx. 500 g Mancozeb per acre).

3. Stemphylium Leaf Blight (Stemphylium vesicarium)

Symptoms	Chemical recommendations
Yellowish/orange streaks in leaves that elongate into spindle shapes. Severe defoliation under favorable conditions.	Fluopyram 50% SC @ 30 g a.i./acre or Tebuconazole 25% EC @ 30 g a.i./acre or Propiconazole 25% EC @ 50 g a.i./acre or Difenoconazole 25% EC @ 50 g a.i./acre, Carbendazim 50% WP 250gm/acre Azoxystrobin 23% SC 0.8–1 ml/L water

4. Downy Mildew (Peronospora destructor)

Symptoms	Chemical recommendations
Pale, chlorotic spots on leaves. Whitish fungal down on the underside of leaves. Leaves may collapse under humid conditions.	Zineb 75% WP @ 450–600 g/acre or Metalaxyl + Mancozeb @ 600 g/acre or Fosetyl-Al @ 400 g/acre. Tebuconazole 25.9% EC @ 250ml/acre Mix in 200 L of water per acre; spray thoroughly covering leaves.

5. Basal Rot / Fusarium (Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cepae)f

Symptoms	Chemical recommendations
Bulb base rots; roots discolored. Stunting, collapse, or reduced bulb yield. Vascular browning.	Prochloraz @ 3 g/kg seed (seed treatment); or use fungicides like azoxystrobin + tebuconazole or fludioxonil + sedaxen for soil/bulb protection. Apply 3 g of chemical per kg of seed or as per product label for soil drench (~0.5 kg/acre).

6. Leaf / Foliar Blight (Various fungal pathogens)

Symptoms	Chemical recommendations
Lesions and blotches on leaves. Defoliation and reduced photosynthetic area. Weakening and reduced bulb size.	Chlorothalonil, Mancozeb, or Iprodione contact fungicides @ 2 g/L water. Mix in 200–300 L of water per acre (400–600 g per acre).

HARVESTING AND YIELD

Harvest when the leaves turn yellow and 50% have bent. Dig up the tubers and dry them in the sun for one week. A yield of 20 to 25 tons per hectare can be obtained.

Before sending to market, grade the tubers based on size. By selling this way, it is possible to get a good price.