THE production of onions on Guyana’s coastland is a possibility. The National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) recently conducted a fruitful trial at its Mon Repos location. The successful introduction of onions as a crop grown in Guyana in commercial quantities would help to reduce the food import bill.
The following are some tips in how farmers could get started with onion production:

Land Preparation:
• Land clearing, ploughing, harrowing, rotovating and bed-shaping;
• Drains should also be constructed to promote drainage and prevent waterlogging;
• Beds must be at least 15-20cm (6-8”) high; bed height should be lower for furrow irrigation;
• Soil should be properly weathered; the stale-bed technique recommended for period between land preparation and planting;

Variety and Types:
• Classification is based on needed hours to rigger bulb formation: short (12), intermediate (12-14) or long-ay (14) types;
• Varieties recommended for cultivation between mid- October and December: Mercedes, Arad, Superex and Grano;
• Varieties recommended for March/ April planting: Orlando, Caballero, Yellow Granex hybrid and Noam

Planting:
Direct seeding
• Seed at a rate of 3.5 – 4.5 kg/ha9 (3-4 lb/acre).
• Seeds may be planted in rows 20-30 cm (8-12 in) apart and along rows, at 2.5 cm (1/2 in).
• Soil must be prepared to a condition that will facilitate mechanical planters, which must be calibrated for depth of sowing, spacing and discharge of seeds.

Onion transplanting:
• 1.25-2.5 kg/ha (1-2 lb/acre) of seeds are needed
• Seedlings are to be produced in nursery using polyethylene trays and transplanted when plants are at the two-leaf stage (within six to eight weeks).
• Seedlings should be transplanted at field at the depth similar to what obtained in trays; land preparation and bed preparation should follow the same instructions as direct seeding.