Studies on identification of suitable onion genotypes for processing

An experiment was conducted at College of Horticulture, Bengaluru during Rabi season of 2016-17. In the study onion bulbs of 28 genotypes were procured with good size and shape. The quality parameters viz., bulb colour, number of centres, TSS, firmness, moisture percentage, dry matter, reducing sugars, non-reducing sugars, total sugars and pungency were analysed in an experiment. All 25 genotypes were noticed with white colour, ON 14-09 with red and white colour, Arka Sona with yellow and Rose Onion with red colour. A single centered bulb was registered in Bhima Shweta (1.00) followed by ON-15-27 (1.20) and ON-15-42 (1.40). The highest TSS was recorded in genotype Arka Sona (23.15%) followed by Rose Onion (19.35%) and Arka Swadista (18.90%) among the white onions genotypes none of the genotypes recorded maximum compared to Rose Onion. The firmness of bulb was registered maximum in GJWO-3 (9.85kg/cm2) followed by Telagi White (9.74 kg/cm2) and Arka Swadista (9.62 kg/cm2). The maximum moisture content of bulb was recorded in Telagi White (86.50%) followed by ON-15-42(86.45%) and BSS-255 (86.27%). The percentage of dry matter content was registered maximum in Arka Sona (21.34%) and Arka Swadista (19.15%). Among the genotypes, maximum reducing sugar was noticed in the genotype GWO-1 and ON-15-29 (3.67% each). Of different genotypes, maximum non-reducing sugar and total sugars were recorded in the genotype Rose Onion (4.12 and 6.34%, respectively). However, maximum pungency (pyruvic acid) was documented in case of Rose Onion (6.55µmol./gram of FW) followed by Arka Sona (6.54 µmol./gram of FW) and Arka Swadista (5.95µmol./gram of FW ). Therefore, from the study, it was noticed that genotypes Arka Sona, Arka Swadista and Rose Onion were found suitable for processing with good quality characters.