ABSTRACT
Until about 1970, local onion breeding was mostly done by farmers, selecting for bulbs with desired characters. Early onions for production under subtropical conditions usually cannot be stored for prolonged periods. A review of research on short day cultivars planted in the summer for fall or early winter harvest is included. Emphasis is on culture of these crops under intensive management as practiced in Israel and the warmer portions of the US Commonly the earliest plants are transplanted in areas where they are produced while later ones are shipped to cooler areas. In Israel if stand establishment is expected to be a serious problem, onion sets are planted, usually a month later than with direct seeding. The most effective weed control programs are those that combine cultivation, judicious use of herbicides, and rotations with other crops which may be maintained free of weed populations. Most soils where onions are grown in subtropical climates are deficient in nitrogen and available phosphorus.
