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In the world of onion growing, times are tough. Market volatility and price fluctuations, weather fluctuations and climate change, and increasing sensibility to diseases prompt growers to swiftly pivot and seek solutions.
At Enza Zaden, we keep things simple yet effective; adaptability and innovation are the key. That’s the only way we can best support our partners in this ever-changing onion market. That's why we're working non-stop on improving our onion varieties, making sure they give you the best results possible – more onions, better quality, and fewer problems with diseases.
When it comes to onion cultivation, some things remain constant – like the love for mechanized harvesting and top-notch storage solutions. But there are many differences as well, depending on the location of cultivation.
Onions, being the resilient field crop they are, must navigate through varying challenges wherever they're grown. That’s why at Enza Zaden we’re using production “research stations” in Italy, the Netherlands and Australia for breeding this crop. The so-called donor plants for our breeding don’t stay at one of those locations; they embark on a journey, shuttling back and forth between these locations in what we call the "ping pong technique." The result? Plants gain greater flexibility, and the varieties that emerge from this are better adapted to various cultivation environments and situations.
Developing a new onion variety is a lengthy process given its biennial nature. The first year is needed to produce a bulb from the seed, the second year to then bring the bulb to bloom for a new generation of seeds.
Thanks to our innovative research strategy, we've cracked the code to significantly shorten this natural process. Working in controlled cultivation environments with specific day lengths, temperature ranges, and fertilizers has allowed us to develop a cycle lasting only eight months. That's right, in just two years, we're able to squeeze in not two, but three onion generations.
But wait, there's more from the magic box of breeding! Enter the double haploids (DHs), a key player in our onion variety development saga. They consist of a genotype that is formed when haploid cells undergo chromosome doubling. It might sound like rocket science, but the bottom line is simple: it enables us to offer new varieties much more rapidly. With traditional breeding methods, it can take up to five generations (about 10 years!), before there is sufficient uniformity within a variety, DHs slashes this timeline down to just one generation.
The combination of our ping pong method and our efforts to bring new varieties onto the market more quickly gives us great flexibility to respond to the wishes of onion growers. This agility has allowed us to make significant strides recently in the way of varieties that can be classified as “low input.” Moreover, our dedication extends beyond the lab, with ongoing field and bench trials meticulously selecting robust varieties resilient to foliage diseases and herbicides.
Our focus remains the same: meet the changing demands of every market and ensure a consistent supply of high-quality onion varieties throughout the year. But here's the kicker – we don't do it alone. We're in cahoots with the entire supply chain, gathering insights and feedback every step of the way. It's this collaborative spirit of working with our customers that keeps the onion market future-proof!