HPIPM:Onion Cull Disposal

Taxonomy

Domain	Eukarya
Kingdom	Plantae
Phylum	Magnoliophyta
Class	Magnoliopsida
Superorder	Lilianae
Order	Asparagales
Family	Amaryllidaceae
Genus	Allium

Scientific Name

Allium cepa

Common Name

garden onion

Author: Howard F. Schwartz and Michael E. Bartolo

Thousands of tons of onion culls are discarded each year due to the effects of pests, off grades and/or poor markets. When cull onions are improperly disposed in and near next season's onion fields, insects and plant pathogens contaminate the new onions and seriously threaten productivity and quality. Therefore, it is vital that proper sanitation be exercised each season to clean up processing facilities by removal of all onion waste and residual soil, and proper treatment of onion culls before the new onion crop becomes established in early spring.

Onion culls can be disposed of in various means according to Mike Thornton of the University of Idaho. One ton of cull onions contains approximately 215 gallons of water, 180 pounds of organic matter, three pounds of potassium, two pounds of nitrogen, two pounds of sulfur, 0.9 pounds of iron, 0.8 pounds of phosphorus, 0.6 pounds of calcium, and trace amounts of other minerals.

Idaho and Oregon personnel have successfully disposed of onion culls by:

1) Burial beneath a few to many inches of soil in pits and landfills; however, regulations regarding water quality are making it more difficult and expensive to utilize landfills.

2) Chopping, spreading and incorporation at four to six inches into marginal soils (80 tons per acre) that will not be planted to onions.

3) Feeding chopped or crushed onions to sheep and beef cattle but not finishing cattle at rates up to 10 to 25 percent of the diet.

4) Composting with wheat straw and other organic material for at least 30 days with adequate aeration and moisture.

Due to constantly changing labels, laws and regulations, the sponsors of this web site assume no liability for the suggested use of any chemicals noted in the management section. Contact your local pest management personnel for current information on labeled pesticides that can be used for the intended plant disease, insect pest or weed.