This year’s event, now known as the onion research workshop, will take place June 5 at the Fabián García Research Center in Las Cruces. (NMSU photo by Josh Bachman, Pictured: New Mexico State University Professor Ivette Guzman speaks to participants in the 2022 onion field day. )
Source: NMSU News Release
DATE: May 20, 2024
WRITER: Adriana M. Chávez, 575-646-1957, adchavez@nmsu.edu
The sights and smells of fields full of onions are beginning to pepper New Mexico’s landscape, making it a prime time to learn more about one of the state’s premiere vegetable crops.
New Mexico State University’s Agricultural Experiment Station is hosting its annual onion research workshop, formally known as onion field day, from 8 a.m. to noon June 5 at the Fabián García Research Center, 113 W. University Ave. in Las Cruces. Attendees will learn more about research in pest and disease management, breeding line advances, and other areas critical to optimum production. Free seed packets of heirloom onion cultivars will be provided to participants.
NMSU AES Associate Director Lara Prihodko will welcome attendees. Research presentations are as follows:
- Brian Schutte, “Improving weed control programs for onions.”
- John Idowu, “Perennial cover crops for rotation with onion.”
- Suman Sharma, “Breeding for Fusarium basal rot resistance.”
- Chris Cramer, “Onion leaf wax and thrips feeding preference,” “Cultivar evaluation for mechanical harvesting,” and “Seed regeneration of plant introduction accessions.”
- Larry Blackwell and Esther Heerema, “Thrips management.”
In 2022, 5,700 acres of onions were harvested in New Mexico. Those acres produced a total of 165,300 tons of onions with a farm-gate valve of $153 million. In terms of farm-gate value of agricultural crops grown in New Mexico, onions rank third behind alfalfa and pecans.
For more information, contact Stephanie Walker at 575-646-4398 or swalker@nmsu.edu.
