Even when the seedbed preparation goes smoothly and the moisture supply is in order, primed onion seed still offers advantages. Kees Jacobs and Michiel van Mol talk about their experiences and discuss the most important cultivation news for spring 2021.
"If you're striving for perfection in onion cultivation, you really can't ignore primed seed." Representative Michiel van Mol of Syngenta Seeds is positive. He also sees the benefits in the cold spring of 2021. "The turnout on most onion plots has been disappointing so far. Not everything is up yet on the early-sown plots at the beginning of March. But where primed seed has been used, almost all of the plants upstairs. You can get those plots out in no time." Turnout counts by colleague Kees Jacobs support his position. Jacobs: "Last week I arrived at plant numbers of 450 to 650 thousand plants on plots where regular seed was used. The plots with primed seed, with an average of 760.000 plants, are already almost reaching the target number of 800 thousand; and they are one stage further."
Even crop
Van Mol and Jacobs see the popularity of priming increasing rapidly. "Last year it was about 10% of our onion seed, this year it is already more than a third," says Jacobs. The explanation, according to the representatives, is not only in the lead that primed seed usually has in the spring. "You have a much more even crop with primed seed and you benefit from that throughout the season," says van Mol. "Weed control becomes easier if all plants are in the same stage; the timing of the MH spraying can also be more accurate." Another reason to switch to primed seed is the loss of the insecticide coating. "With primed seed, the crop is faster through the vulnerable period," says Jacobs. A point of attention is the moisture supply. "A pre-germinated seed must be able to go through in 1 go after sowing. So when it is dry after sowing, you must be able to irrigate."
Non-turning tillage
In addition to the increase in the share of primed seed, Jacobs and van Mol see another trend: more and more arable farmers are experimenting with non-inversion tillage. "That is quite a challenge for onion country", Jacobs says. "It is quite a challenge to deliver good sowing work when there are a lot of crop residues in the top layer. It is not for nothing that you see that disc seeders are on the rise." But the representatives certainly do not want to complain about the ground conditions of spring 2021. "Compared to last year, seedbed preparation went very well," says van Mol. "The ground fell beautifully. But even if the tillage is easy, you have to be alert; an onion is sensitive to structure and before you know it you have compaction due to too high a tire pressure or in places where you have driven several times."
Sensitive period
For the coming period, especially caution is called for, say van Mol and Jacobs. "The onion plants are having a hard time due to the cold and the mild wind. You see yellowing on many plots and there are also cases of hail damage. Try to save your crop as much as possible in the period just after emergence." That advice applies in any case to the weed control that the onion growers have to implement without Chlorine-IPC for the first time this year. "The alternatives are often just a bit sharper," warn Jacobs and van Mol.
The moisture supply also continues to demand attention, even though large parts of the country had a nice portion of precipitation last week. "There is a chance of crusting and then you may have to pull the reel over it for an undisturbed emergence. Do that with not too many millimeters at the same time and a fine nozzle. But a good moisture supply is also important for resistance to thrips. crucial, especially in the early part of the season." The last notification from the representatives concerns the onion and bean fly. "The damage pattern is difficult to recognize, but try to monitor your crop as well as possible," advises Jacobs. "The period when these insects can do damage is approaching. So stay alert."