Revolutionizing Purple Onion Production: The South Central Coast’s ASISOV Develops Seed Technology to Boost Yields and Reduce Costs

The Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology of the South Central Coast (ASISOV) has successfully researched purple onion seeds as a replacement for bulbs, which doubles productivity and reduces labor costs. Based in Quy Nhon City, ASISOV developed a process for propagating purple onions from Ninh Thuan and Quang Ngai with seeds. These two regions are well-known for purple onion cultivation, but the cost and labor involved in buying seeds have been a challenge for farmers. Therefore, seed research was deemed necessary.

ASISOV found that using imported onion varieties can be costly and risky due to adaptation issues and the introduction of new pathogens. Therefore, they focused on local onion varieties from Ninh Thuan and Quang Ngai. The technology for propagating purple onions with seeds includes two methods: propagation with OP seeds and propagation with F1 hybrid seeds.

The process of propagating purple onions with OP seeds involves selecting and revitalizing local purple onion lines over three generations and using natural pollination by bees. Seedlings grown from OP seeds are carefully cared for in greenhouse conditions. In the breeding process using F1 hybrid seeds, a local purple onion variety is selected as the parent line while a special purple onion line is selected for crossbreeding to create new generations.

The research and testing of growing purple onions from seeds have shown promising results, with an estimated doubling of yields compared to growing from traditional bulbs. Additionally, using seeds significantly reduces input costs and potential risks associated with traditional bulb propagation.

After a successful research and testing phase, ASISOV plans to deploy mass production of purple onion seed technology by 2025. The new technology offers various benefits, including improved resistance, uniformity, and larger onions. ASISOV plans to transfer this technology to farmers through seed transfer, seedling provision, and bulb provision, aiming to enhance economic efficiency for farmers and improve competitiveness in the purple onion market.

In conclusion, ASISOV’s successful research into purpl