from Farmson Biotech are a specialized variety known for their high yield, strong growth, and robust bulbs. This dark red, flattish-globe onion is bred for consistent quality and disease tolerance, making it a reliable choice for commercial and large-scale cultivation.
Bulb characteristics
Appearance: Produces bulbs with an appealing dark red skin color and a flat, globe shape.
Internal quality: The internal color is consistently good, and the bulbs have a firm texture, which contributes to their excellent handling and storage life.
Size: The bulbs are of a medium size, suitable for a variety of culinary uses and market demands.
Bolting resistance: The variety shows a negligible tendency for bolting (premature flowering), ensuring that the plant's energy is focused on producing high-quality bulbs rather than flowers.
Plant characteristics and cultivation
Maturity: This is a relatively fast-maturing hybrid, ready for harvest in approximately 90–100 days after transplanting. This allows for a quicker turnover and potentially more crop cycles in a year.
Planting season: Some related Farmson Biotech onion varieties are suited for the rainy season, with sowing potentially occurring in late May or June and transplanting in August. While this is not specified for the
FB-BASIRA 5440
, it highlights the potential for year-round onion cultivation in India with appropriate varieties.
Transplanting: To ensure a good yield and larger bulb size, transplanting seedlings from a nursery bed is the recommended method. Seedlings should be about 8 weeks old before transplanting.
Spacing: A recommended planting distance is 15 cm between seedlings, in rows spaced 8–10 cm apart.
Disease and pest tolerance
The FB-BASIRA 5440 hybrid is bred with specific tolerances to common onion afflictions, which is a major advantage for commercial growers. These include:
Purple Blotch (Alternaria porri): A fungal disease that can severely damage leaves and stalks, especially in hot, humid conditions. This variety has been developed with a tolerance to this disease.
Basal Rot (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cepae): A soil-borne fungal disease that infects the base of the bulb, causing it to rot. The FB-BASIRA 5440's tolerance provides protection against this prevalent and destructive issue.
Thrips (Thrips tabaci): Tiny, sucking insects that feed on leaves, causing silver streaks and weakening the plant. The hybrid's tolerance helps mitigate damage from these pests.
