IDENTIFICATION OF ONION CULTIVARS FOR COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION IN CANTERBURY, NEW-ZEALAND

Onion(Allium cepa L.) cultivars were evaluated to identify those that were sufficiently adapted to produce profitable crops for export in Ca nterbury, New Zealand. Cultivars were chosen from latitudes similar to Canterbury within four main geographic regions: North America, northe rn Europe, Japan, and Australia/New Zealand. Cultivars were grown for three seasons and evaluated for maturity, yield, bulb size, bulb shape , skin colour and number, single centredness, and propensity to bolt. The characteristics were assessed relative to the industry standard, ' Pukekohe Longkeeper'. No one cultivar was better than 'Pukekohe Longke eper' in every characteristic. North American cultivars had good size, shape, skin colour, skin retention, and single centredness, but they were later maturing than 'Pukekohe Longkeeper' and had a high propensi ty to bolt. Northern European cultivars had a similar tendency to late maturity and high bolting percentage. A group of Japanese cultivars w ere earlier maturing than 'Pukekohe Longkeeper' (up to 30 days) and ha d a low bolting percentage, but they were lower yielding. Another grou p of Japanese cultivars were higher yielding but they were later matur ing with a bolting incidence of 35-50% and were variable in their sing le centredness and skin colour. Australian cultivars were very similar to 'Pukekohe Longkeeper', with negligible bolting. One New Zealand cu ltivar had a similar yield and 7 days earlier maturity. Only one culti var,'Eskimo', of Japanese origin was superior to 'Pukekohe Longkeeper' in environmental adaptation and quality. 'Eskimo' was higher yielding , early maturing, and superior in colour, skin retention, and single c entredness. Bulb shape and bolting incidence were acceptable.