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a creative red and black duotone image of onions

The University of Georgia (UGA) evaluates short day onion varieties to determine their performance characteristics in standardized growing practices. Variety entries for the trial are submitted by participating seed companies. These trials are conducted at the Vidalia Onion and Vegetable Research Center (VOVRC) located in Lyons, GA.

Materials and Methods

There were 50 varieties entered into the 2022–2023 UGA onion variety trial. After seed entries were received, seedbeds were grown for transplant production by UGA staff at the VOVRC. Pre-plant seedbed treatment included a 75 gallon per acre fumigation treatment of metam sodium for weed and disease suppression.

The seedbeds were planted on September 20, 2022, and the trial was transplanted on December 6, 2022. Yield measurements were taken upon harvest and grading and a 10-bulb sample of jumbo onions per plot was sent to the UGA Crop Quality Laboratory in Athens, GA, to undergo flavor testing.

Seedbed and trial fertility, as well as fungicide programs, are listed below. The trial evaluates each variety replication in a 20 ft long by 6 ft wide plot that contains 240 bulbs. Each variety was replicated four times and harvested based on a committee decision of maturity. The transplant population for the trial was equivalent to 87,120 plants per acre.

Seedbed Fertility

  • 400 lb/acre of 10-10-10 applied September 19, 2022 (preplant incorporated)
  • 200 lb/acre of 10-10-10 applied Oct. 3, 2022
  • 200 lb/acre of 10-10-10 applied Oct. 20, 2022
  • 200 lb/acre of 10-10-10 applied Oct. 31, 2022

Total pounds/acre applied: 100 (N) – 100 (P) – 100 (K) – 120 (S)

Note: All fertilizer applications were applied with a First Products brand drop spreader.

Seedbed Pesticides Applied
DateProduct Applied
Aug. 11, 2022Vapam HL (75 gal/acre)
Sept. 19, 2022Diazinon AG500 (4 qt/acre) preplant
incorporated
Oct. 31, 2022Roper (3 lb/acre) + Kocide 3000 (0.75
lb/acre) + Lifegard WG (2 oz/acre)
Nov. 9, 2022Roper (3 lb/acre) + Kocide 3000 (0.75
lb/acre) + Lifegard WG (2 oz/acre)

Trial Fertility

  • 200 lb/acre of 5-10-15 applied Dec. 13, 2022
  • 300 lb/acre of 6-6-18 applied Jan. 6, 2023
  • 500 lb/acre of 5-10-15 applied Jan. 25, 2023
  • 150 lb/acre of calcium nitrate applied Feb. 9, 2023
  • 150 lb/acre of calcium nitrate applied Feb. 22, 2023

Total pounds/acre applied: 99.5 (N) – 88 (P) – 159 (K) – 88.5 (S)

Note: Soil sample test results called for 125–150 lb/acre nitrogen, 60 lb/acre of phosphorus, 90 lb/acre of potash, and 40–60 lb/acre of sulfur. All fertilizer applications applied with a First Products brand drop spreader.

Fungicides Applied
DateFungicide Applied
Jan. 11, 2023Fontelis (24 oz/acre) + Quadris Top (14 oz/acre) + Badge SC (16 oz/acre)
Feb. 6, 2023Omega 500 (16 oz/acre) + Pristine (18.5 oz/acre) + Bravo (32 oz/acre)
Feb. 16, 2023Luna Flex (14 oz/acre)
Feb. 23, 2023Miravis Prime (11.4 oz/acre) + Inspire Super (20 oz/acre)
Mar. 8, 2023Omega 500 (16 oz/acre) + Badge (16 oz/acre)
Mar. 15, 2023Miravis Prime (11.4 oz/acre) + Orondis Ultra (6 oz/acre) + Badge SC (16 oz/acre) + Lifegard WG (2 oz/acre)
Mar. 22, 2023Omega 500 (16 oz/acre) + Badge SC (16 oz/acre) + Lifegard WG (2 oz/acre)
Mar. 30, 2023Quadris Top (14 oz/acre) + Badge SC (16 oz/acre) + Lifegard WG (2 oz/acre)
Insecticides Applied
DateProduct Applied
Oct. 15, 2022Diazinon AG500 (4 qt/acre) preplant incorporated
Feb. 23, 2023Radiant (10 oz/acre)
Mar. 15, 2023Torac (24 oz/acre)
Mar. 22, 2023Radiant (10 oz/acre)
Mar. 30, 2023Torac (24 oz/acre)
Herbicides Applied
DateProduct Applied
Dec. 6, 2022Goal 2XL (1 quart/acre) + Prowl (1 qt/acre)

Harvest Timing

Each variety was selected for harvest based upon signs of weak tops and/or adequately sized bulbs. A committee of Extension agents determined the harvest/pulling of varieties.

Participating seed companies reserve the right to specify when or what characteristics determine the harvest of their variety.

Varieties were clipped 7 days after their dig date. Growing degree days (GDDs) aid us in forecasting harvest maturity for onions. A base temperature of 50 °F is used in formulating GDDs accumulated.

VarietyMaturityPlanting dateDig dateDays after transplanting to diggingGDD 50 °F base
Candy Ann, Candy Joy, Candy Kim, Fast
Track, Quick STart, DP 1407, Nunhems 1011,
Vidora, OSYF12-7091
EarlyDec. 6, 2022Apr. 17, 20231321255
Red Maiden, Sweet Agent, Monjablanca, Red
Sensation, Maragogi, Sapelo, Early Sweet,
SON-404Y, Vulkana, A1298, OSYF10-4021
Early-MedDec. 6, 2022Apr. 24, 20231391381
Sweet Azalea, Century, 369, Tania, 380,
Red Marvel, Rio Dulce, Superex, XON-300&,
XON-106Y, Plethora, Sofire, Dulciana
MainDec. 6, 2022May 1, 20231461508
EMY 55457, EMY 55126, EMY 55455, EMY
37357, EMY 55178, Alba Blanca, Sweet
Magnolia, Macon, GA Boy, Chianti, Rio Del
Sol, Nun 1014 (formerly 5901), Mata Hari,
A1926, Miss Scarlet, 10256, Gilmore 26
Main-LateDec. 6, 2022May 8, 20231531630

Stand Losses from Early Season Freeze

A notable weather event during the 2022–2023 onion season was the hard freeze that occurred in late December 2022. From December 23–30, 2022 temperatures fell below freezing each night. During that time period, the coldest temperatures occurred on the night of December 24, dipping into the middle to upper teens. The UGA weather station located at Stanley Farms in Toombs County, GA, recorded a low that evening of 16.4 °F, with temperatures below freezing for over 24 continuous hours.

Table 1. Daily Maximum and Minimum Temperatures Recorded at UGA Weather Station in December 2022.
DateMaximum
Temperature (°F)
Minimum
Temperature (°F)
December 2248.741.9
December 2353.722.8
December 2431.716.4
December 254321.4
December 2648.820.9
December 275625.5
December 2863.129.1
December 2971.136.9
December 3074.853.4

These freezing temperatures occurred less than 3 weeks after transplanting the variety trial. As a result, many of the small transplants were especially susceptible to cold injury. Stand loss occurred in all varieties, with some varieties suffering from significant stand loss. Stand counts were taken on February 15, 2023, with the assistance of local county Extension agents. The table below shows the average percent stand among varieties in the trial.

Table 2. Average Percent Stand in the Vidalia Onion Variety Trial as Recorded on February 15, 2023.
Variety% Stand
OSYF12-709186a
101185a
SON-404Y79ab
OSYF10-402175abc
140774abc
Red Sensation73abcd
A129873abcd
Maragogi73abcd
XON-106Y72abcd
EMY 5735771abcde
Early Sweet70abcdef
Candy Kim68abcdefg
XON-300Y68abcdefg
Chianti67abcdefgh
Quick Start65abcdefghi
Superex64abcdefghi
Red Maiden64abcdefghi
A192660abcdefghij
Vidora60abcdefghijk
Rio Del Sol58bcdefghijk
Candy Joy57bcdefghijk
EMY 5545556bcdefghijkl
Rio Dulce56bcdefghijkl
Gilmore 2653bcdefghijkl
Sofire53bcdefghijkl
Candy Ann52bcdefghijklm
mata Hari51cdefghijklmn
Sapelo51cdefghijklmn
1025649cdefghijklmno
Monjablanca47defghijklmno
Fast Track45efghijklmno
Tania45efghijklmnop
Miss Scarlet45efghijklmnop
Sweet Agent44fghijklmnop
Century43ghijklmnop
101443ghijklmnop
EMY 5512640hijklmnop
36940ijklmnopq
Plethora36jklmnopqr
Sweet Azalea33klmnopqr
GA Boy30lmnopqr
Macon29lmnopqr
EMY 5517826mnopqr
Dulciana25mnopqr
38024nopqr
Red Marvel23opqr
Vulkana18pqr
Alba Blanca13qr
EMY 5545712r
Sweet Magnolia10r
*Letters that are the same between varieties indicate that those varieties are not significantly different according to Turkey test (p ≤ 0.05).

Results and Discussion

The following tables show field weights, marketable yields, colossal yields, jumbo yields, medium yields, and cull yield. For additional information regarding the performance of a given variety, please contact your Extension agent or the Vidalia Onion and Vegetable Research Center.

We would like to thank the participating seed companies as well as the Vidalia Onion Committee for their support of this trial.

Variety Entries in the 2022–2023 Trial.
Variety nameCompanyTypeMaturity Class
Candy Kim*SolarYellow GranexEarly
Candy Ann*SolarYellow GranexEarly
Candy Joy*SolarYellow GranexEarly
Fast Track*Vilmorin-MikadoYellow GranexEarly
Quick Start*Vilmorin-MikadoYellow GranexEarly
EMY 55455*EmeraldYellow GranexMain-Late
EMY 55126*EmeraldYellow GranexMain-Late
EMY 55457*EmeraldYellow GranexMain-Late
EMY 55178EmeraldYellow GranexMain-Late
Sweet Agent*SeminisYellow GranexEarly-Med
Sweet Magnolia*SeminisYellow GranexEarly-Med
Century*SeminisYellow GranexMain
Sweet Azalea*SeminisYellow GranexMain
Macon*BejoYellow GranexMain-Late
Tania*BejoYellow GranexMain
369*BejoYellow GranexMain
MaragogiBejoYellow GranexEarly-Med
Sapelo*DP SeedsYellow GranexEarly-Med
Georgia Boy*DP SeedsYellow GranexMain-Late
DP 1407*DP SeedsYellow GranexEarly
Early SweetDP SeedsYellow GranexEarly-Med
Superex*American TakiiYellow GranexMain
SON-404YSakataYellow GranexEarly-Med
XON-300YSakataYellow GranexMain
XON-106YSakataYellow GranexMain
Vidora*NunhemsYellow GranexEarly
Plethora*NunhemsYellow GranexMain
Nunhems 1014NunhemsYellow GranexMain-Late
Nunhems 1011NunhemsYellow GranexEarly
A1298HazeraYellow GranexEarly-Med
A1926HazeraYellow GranexMain-Late
10256HazeraYellow GranexMain-Late
OSYF12-7091CrookhamYellow GranexEarly
OSYF10-4021CrookhamYellow GranexEarly-Med
Gilmore 26*Pike’s SeedYellow GranexMain-Late
Rio Del SolAmerican TakiiYellow GranoMain-Late
Rio DulceAmerican TakiiYellow GranoMain
DulcianaNunhemsYellow GranoMain
VulkanaNunhemsYellow GranoEarly-Med
380BejoYellow GranoMain
Alba BlancaSeminisWhiteMain-Late
MonjablancaBejoWhiteEarly-Med
EMY 55357EmeraldRedMain-Late
Miss ScarletHazeraRedMain-Late
Red MaidenSeminisRedEarly-Med
Red MarvelBejoRedMain
Red SensationBejoRedEarly-Med
ChiantiDP SeedsRedMain-Late
SofireNunhemsRedMain
Mata HariDP SeedsRedMain-Late
*Official Vidalia approved variety for 2022–2023 season.

Tables

Table 3. Vidalia Onion Field Weight (40-lb Boxes Per Acre) Measured Before Grading.
Variety40 lb boxes/acre
SON-404Y1656a
XON-106Y1572ab
A12981561ab
OSYF10-40211553abc
Early Sweet1546abcd
Superex1542abcd
Maragogi1523abcde
Chianti1479abcde
Mata Hari1454abcdef
Red Sensation1384abcdef
XON-300Y1359abcdefg
EMY 554551352abcdefg
10111339abcdefgh
14071337abcdefgh
Gilmore 261335abcdefgh
Rio Dulce1299abcdefgh
Sofire1283abcdefghi
A19261261abcdefghi
Rio Del Sol1229abcdefghi
OSYF12-70911192abcdefghij
Miss Scarlet1151abcdefghij
Sweet Agent1130abdefghij
10141123abcdefghij
EMY 573571078bcdefghijk
Candy Kim1071bcdefghijk
Vidora1069bcdefghijk
Quick Start1057bcdefghijk
102561049bcdefghijk
Red Maiden1041bcdefghijk
Monjablanca1007cedfghijkl
Tania1001defghijkl
Sapelo995defghijkl
369973efghijkl
Candy Joy908fghijkl
Century901fghijkl
Candy Ann886fghijklm
EMY 55126877fghijklm
Fast Track826ghijklmn
Plethora816ghijklmn
Macon794hijklmn
380746ijklmn
EMY 55178734ijklmn
Sweet Azalea657jklmn
Dulciana656jklmn
Alba Blanca558jklmn
Red Marvel556klmn
GA Boy484lmn
Vulkana348mn
EMY 55457316n
Sweet Magnolia250n
Note. Letters that are the same between varieties indicate that those varieties are not significantly different according to Tukey test (p ≤ 0.05).
Table 4. Vidalia Onion Marketable Yield (40-lb Boxes Per Acre) Measured After Grading.
VarietyTotal yield
40 lb boxes/acre
A12981427a
SON-404Y1384ab
Mata Hari1304abc
10111286abc
Red Sensation1261abc
Chianti1261abc
Early Sweet1243abcd
Maragogi1241abcd
Sofire1177abcde
Rio Dulce1053abcdef
14071041abcdef
A19261035abcdef
OSYF12-70911032abcdef
Superex1001abcdef
OSYF10-4021976abcdefg
Rio Del Sol957bcdefgh
Red Maiden951bcdefgh
Vidora904cdefghi
Miss Scarlet901cdefghi
EMY 57357898cdefghi
EMY 55455889cdefghi
XON-106Y889cdefghi
Candy Kim839cdefghij
Gilmore 26792defghijk
Monjablanca755efghijkl
1014746efghijkl
10256746efghijkl
Sapelo728efghijkl
Tania724efghijkl
Candy Joy717efghijkl
Quick Start687fghijkl
369667fghijklm
Candy Ann658fghijklm
Fast Track651fghijklmn
EMY 55178533ghijklmno
EMY 55126517ghijklmno
Sweet Agent491ijklmno
XON-300Y476ijklmno
Macon456ijklmno
Red Marvel438ijklmno
380406jklmno
Dulciana361klmno
Century358klmno
Plethora349klmno
Vulkana299lmno
Alba Blanca268mno
Sweet Azalea218mno
EMY 55457186no
GA Boy166o
Sweet Magnolia54o
Note. Letters that are the same between varieties indicate that those varieties are not significantly different according to Tukey test (p ≤ 0.05).
Table 5. Vidalia Onion Colossal Yield (40-lb Boxes Per Acre) Measured After Grading.
VarietyTotal yield
40 lb boxes/acre
Mata Hari662a
Sofire599ab
SON-404Y581abc
Miss Scarlet556abcd
Rio Dulce547abcde
Chianti542abcde
Early Sweet524abcdef
EMY 55455501abcdefg
1014429abcdefgh
Superex424abcdefgh
Maragogi417abcdefgh
Gilmore 26413abcdefghi
EMY 55178408abcdefghi
OSYF10-4021408abcdefghi
Rio Del Sol404abcdefghi
A1926395abcdefghi
XON-106Y395abcdefghi
1407347bcdefghij
Tania331bcdefghijk
Macon329cdefghijk
Vidora320cdefghijkl
Sweet Agent315cdefghijklm
380290defghijklmn
Red Sensation284efghijklmn
369256fghijklmn
EMY 55126250ghijklmn
Monjablanca238ghijklmn
Quick Start238ghijklmn
A1298222hijklmn
Red Marvel220hijklmn
Fast Track209hijklmn
Century195hijklmn
10256191hijlkmn
Candy Ann188hijklmn
Candy Kim177hijklmn
Plethora175hijklmn
Sapelo172hijklmn
Dulciana166hijklmn
XON-300Y161hijklmn
Candy Joy147ijklmn
Red Maiden120jklmn
EMY 55457111jklmn
GA Boy109jklmn
101186jklmn
Sweet Azalea73klmn
Vulkana52lmn
OSYF12-709150mn
Alba Blanca45mn
EMY 5735741n
Sweet Magnolia30n
Note. Letters that are the same between varieties indicate that those varieties are not significantly different according to Tukey test (p ≤ 0.05).
Table 6. Vidalia Onion Jumbo Yield (40-lb Boxes Per Acre) Measured After Grading.
VarietyTotal yield
40 lb boxes/acre
10111164a
A12981162a
Red Sensation912ab
OSFY12-7091898ab
Maragogi796bv
EMY 57357792bv
Red Maiden771bv
SON-404Y767bc
Early Sweet681bcd
1407669bcd
Chianti667bcd
Mata Hari617bcde
A1296608bcde
Candy Kim603bcde
Superex565cdef
Vidora558cdefg
Sofire551cdefg
10256538cdefgh
Candy Joy522cdefgh
OSYF10-4021522cdefgh
Rio Del Sol515cdefgh
Sapelo515cdefgh
Monjablanca492cdefghi
Rio Dulce483cdefghi
XON-106Y472cdefghij
Candy Ann431defghijk
Quick Start424defghijk
Fast Track402defghijk
369392defghijkl
Tania381defghijklm
EMY 55455370defghijklmn
Gilmore 26363defghijklmn
Miss Scarlet324efghijklmn
1014295efghijklmn
XON-300Y290efghijklmn
EMY 55126256fghijklmn
Vulkana231ghijklmn
Alba Blanca213ghijklmn
Red Marvel211hijklmn
Dulciana179ijklmn
Plethora166ijklmn
Sweet Agent166ijklmn
Century157jklmn
Sweet Azalea136klmn
Macon125klmn
EMY 55178116klmn
380113lmn
EMY 5545770lmn
GA Boy54mn
Sweet Magnolia24n
Note. Letters that are the same between varieties indicate that those varieties are not significantly different according to Tukey test (p ≤ 0.05).
Table 7. Vidalia Onion Medium Yield (40-lb Boxes Per Acre) Measured After Grading.
VarietyMedium yield
40 lb boxes/acre
OSYF12-709184a
EMY 5735766ab
Red Sensation66ab
Candy Kim59abc
Red Maiden59abc
Chianti52abcd
Candy Joy48bcde
OSYF10-402145bcdef
A129843bcdefg
Fast Track41bcdefgh
Sapelo41bcdefgh
Early Sweet39bcdefghi
Rio Del Sol39bcdefghi
Candy Ann39bcdefghi
101136bcdefghij
SON-404Y36bcdefghij
A192632bcdefghij
Maragogi27cdefghij
Sofire27cdefghij
Vidora26cdefghij
Quick Start25cdefghij
140725cdefghij
Monjablanca25cdefghij
XON-300Y25cdefghij
Mata Hari24cdefghij
101423defghij
Rio Dulce23defghij
XON-106Y23defghij
Miss Scarlet20defghij
1025618defghij
36918defghij
EMY 5545518defghij
Dulciana16efghij
Vulkana16efghij
Gilmore 2616efghij
EMY 5512611fghij
Superex11fghij
Tania11fghij
Sweet Agent10ghij
Alba Blanca9ghij
EMY 551789ghij
Plethora9ghij
Sweet Azalea9ghij
Century7hij
Red Marvel7hij
EMY 554575ij
3802j
GA Boy2j
Macon2j
Sweet Magnolia0j
Note. Letters that are the same between varieties indicate that those varieties are not significantly different according to Tukey test (p ≤ 0.05).
Table 8. Vidalia Onion Cull Weights (40-lb Boxes Per Acre) Measured After Grading.
VarietyCull weights
40 lb boxes/acre
XON-300Y883a
XON-106Y683ab
Sweet Agent639abc
OSYF10-4021577abcd
Gilmore 26543bcde
Century542bcde
Superex541bcde
Plethora466bcdef
EMY 55455463bcdef
Sweet Azalea439bcdefg
1014377bcdefgh
Quick Start370bcdefghi
EMY 55126360cdefghij
380340cdefghij
Macon338cdefghij
GA Boy319cdefghij
369306defghij
10256303defghij
Early Sweet303defghij
1407296defghij
Dulciana295defghij
Alba Blanca290defghij
Maragogi282defghij
Tania277defghij
SON-404Y272defghij
Rio Del Sol271defghij
Sapelo267defghij
Monjablanca252efghij
Miss Scarlet251efghij
Rio Dulce246efghij
Candy Kim231efghij
Candy Ann228efghij
A1926227efghij
Chianti218fghij
EMY 55178201fghij
Sweet Magnolia195fghij
Candy Joy191fghij
EMY 57357179fghij
Fast Track175fghij
Vidora164fghij
OSYF12-7091160fghij
Mata Hari150fghij
A1298134ghij
EMY 55457130ghij
Red Sensation123ghij
Red Marvel118hij
Sofire105hij
Red Maiden91hij
101152ij
Vulkana49j
Note. Letters that are the same between varieties indicate that those varieties are not significantly different according to Tukey test (p ≤ 0.05).
Table 9. Onion 3-Year Average Marketable Yield (40 Lb-Boxes Per Acre) Measured After Grading.
Variety40 lb boxes/acre
Mata Hari1330
Superex1256
Rio Dulce1210
EMY 554551194
Maragogi1186
Macon1175
Rio Del Sol1173
Red Sensation1149
Vidora1099
Sofire1074
10111066
EMY 554571034
Sweet Azalea1007
Tania1002
EMY 55126992
GA Boy955
Sweet Magnolia953
Plethora953
Red Maiden933
1407933
Sapelo909
Candy Kim909
Sweet Agent885
Century873
Candy Ann818
Fast Track783
Dulciana780
Candy Joy779
Quick Start731
Vulkana595
Note. Only varieties entered into the trial in the last 5 consecutive years were included.
Table 10. Onion 5-Year Average Marketable Yield (40 Lb-Boxer Per Acre) Measured After Grading.
Variety40 lb boxes/acre
Mata Hari1069
Macon986
EMY 55455978
Sofire977
Vidora961
Red Sensation913
1407891
Sweet Magnolia848
Sweet Azalea837
Sweet Agent834
Candy Ann821
Candy Kim809
Century806
Plethora801
Fast Track799
Dulciana787
Sapelo783
Quick Start774
Candy Joy770
EMY 55126729
Tania674
Vulkana638
Note. Only varieties entered into the trial in the last 5 consecutive years were included.


Published by University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. For more information or guidance, contact your local Extension office.

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