Shallot Cultivation Guide

 Shallot Cultivation Guide

Shallots (Allium ascalonicum) are seasonal horticultural crops that have high economic value.  However, at certain times, production often experiences flooding so that the price drops.  It is made worse by the import policy implemented by the government which often exacerbates the fall in the price of shallots in the market.

To avoid price fluctuations that are very detrimental to farmers, efforts are needed to cultivate shallots outside the season.  Along with restrictions on cultivation activities in peak seasons.

Onion cultivation requires more than 12 hours of sunlight a day.  This plant is suitable for cultivation in the lowlands with an altitude of 0 to 900 meters above sea level.  The optimum temperature for the development of shallot plants ranges from 25-32 degrees Celsius.  While the desired soil acidity is around pH 5.6-7.

This time, Alamtani tried to describe the technical steps that need to be prepared to carry out the shallot cultivation business.  This method of growing shallots is extracted from the experience of onion farmers in Brebes, Central Java.  Berebes is one of the largest shallot cultivation centers in Indonesia.

Onion seeds

There are many varieties of seeds for onion cultivation.  There are local seeds to imported hybrid seeds.  There are seeds that come from seeds, there are also tubers.  Most shallot cultivation in production centers use bulbs as seeds.

 Good shallot seeds come from old harvested tubers, more than 80 days for the lowlands and 100 days for the highlands.  Good onion seeds have been stored for at least 2-3 months.  The size of the seeds is about 1.5-2 cm with a good shape, not deformed, shiny dark red.

 The need for seeds for onion cultivation depends on the variety, seed size and spacing.  For a 20×20 spacing with a tuber weight of 5 grams, it takes about 1.4 tons of seeds per hectare.  For the same weight with a spacing of 15×15, 2.4 tons per hectare are needed.  If the tuber weight is smaller, the tuber requirement per hectare is even less.

Tillage and planting

The soil is made of beds with a width of 1-1.2 meters, a height of 20-30 cm and a length according to the conditions of the garden.  The distance between the beds is 50 cm, as well as a 50 cm deep trench.  Hoe beds as deep as 20 cm, loosen the soil.  The shape of the surface or the top of the bed is flat, not curved.

 Add lime or dolomite as much as 1-1.5 tons per hectare if the soil acidity is less than pH 5.6.  The addition of lime is given at least 2 weeks before planting.

 Use 15-20 compost or manure as basic fertilizer.  Spread the fertilizer on the bed and mix with the soil until evenly distributed.  You can also add urea, ZA, SP-36 and KCL as much as 47 kg, 100 kg, 311 kg and 56 kg per hectare.  Mix the artificial fertilizer before application.  Leave it for one week before planting the beds.

Prepare the seeds or onion bulbs that are ready for planting.  If the age of the tubers is less than 2 months, do the cutting first.  Pemogesan is cutting the end of the tuber, about 0.5 cm.  Its function is to break the dormant period and accelerate the growth of plants.

The spacing for onion cultivation during the dry season is compacted to 15×15 cm.  While in the rainy season at least made up to 20 × 20 cm.  Shallot seeds are planted by immersing all parts of the tuber into the soil.

Onion cultivation care

 Watering on onion cultivation should be done twice a day every morning and evening.  At least until the plant is 10 days old.  After that, the frequency of watering can be reduced to once a day.

 Follow-up fertilization is given after the onion plants are 2 weeks old.  The type of fertilizer consists of a mixture of urea, ZA, and KCl which is stirred evenly.  The composition of each fertilizer is 93 kg, 200 kg and 112 kg for each hectare.  Follow-up fertilization was then given at week 5 with the composition of urea, ZA, KCl as much as 47 kg, 100 kg, 56 kg per hectare.  Fertilization is given by making kerf beside the plant.

Weeding is usually done twice in one growing season.  To save costs, do weeding together with additional fertilizer application.  However, if the weed attack intensifies, immediately do weeding without waiting for additional fertilizer.

Pest and disease control

 Onion cultivation has many types of pests and diseases.  However, the most frequent attacks in production centers are caterpillar pests and wilt disease.

 Caterpillar pests (Spodoptera sp.) attack the leaves, the symptoms are white spots on the leaves.  When the leaves look like a caterpillar bite.  This pest is controlled by manual collection, caterpillars and eggs are taken for destruction.  Can also use sex pheromone traps, use as many as 40 pieces per hectare.  If the attack intensifies, the damage is more than 5% per leaf clump, spray with an insecticide with the active ingredient chlorphyrifos.

Fusarium wilt disease, caused by a fungus.  Symptoms are yellowing and twisted leaves.  The base of the stem rots.  The treatment is to remove dead plants and then burn them.  Spraying can use the function.

Onion cultivation harvest

 The characteristics of onion cultivation are ready to harvest when 60-70% of the leaves have started to fall.  Or, do a random tuber check.  Especially for tuber seeding, the laying rate must reach more than 90%.

 Onion cultivation can usually be harvested after 55-70 days from planting.  The productivity of shallots varies greatly depending on land conditions, climate, weather and varieties.  In Indonesia, the productivity of shallot cultivation ranges from 3-12 tons per hectare with a national average of 9.47 tons per hectare.

Shallots that have been harvested must be dried first.  Drying drying can last up to 7-14 days.  Reversal is done every 2-3 days.  Dried onions, 85% moisture content, ready to be stored or marketed.