Journal of Horticultural Science
with the collaboration of Iranian Scientific Association for Landscape (ISAL)

Producing and Comparing Qualitative and Quantitative Traits of Half-Sib Families with Parents in Short-Day Onions (Allium cepa L.)

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

A. Darabi 1
Z. Abbasi 2

1 Crop and Horticultural Science Research Department, Khuzestan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Ahwaz, Iran

2 Crop and Horticultural Science Research Department, Isfahan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Isfahan, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22067/jhs.2025.94114.1440
Abstract
Introduction
Onion (Allium cepa L.) is one of the most important vegetables in Iran and is cultivated in 51.499 hectares. The cultivated area of this crop in the short-day southern regions is 25.964 hectares, which is equivalent to more than 50% of the cultivated onion area in Iran. Commercial short-day onion cultivars are cultivated in most of these regions, so a large amount of currency is spent to import short-day onion seed. In addition, the increase in the currency rate in recent years has increased the cost of onion production in short-day southern regions. Therefore, it is very important to produce and introduce short-day onion cultivars. This research was conducted to produce half-sib families through open pollination among nine superior onion cultivars. The best half-sib families were selected in terms of bulb yield and storability.

Materials and Methods
This project was carried out in Isfahan and Khuzestan during three crop years (2020-2023). During two crop years of 2020-2022, a polycross genetic design was carried out among nine short-day onion cultivars (Sahar, Paliz, Saba, Savanasweet, Goldeneye, Duster, Impriaterize, Primavera, and Texas Early Grano) in the Isfahan location (Dastgerd Agriculture Research Station), and half-sib families were produced. The progenies of half-sib families along with their parents were evaluated in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 18 treatments and three replications in Khuzestan location (Behbahan Agriculture Research Station) during the crop year of 2022-2023. Seeds were sown in the nursery in early October, and seedlings were transplanted (at the two- or three-leaf stage) in late September. The earliest bulb time was estimated using the bulb ratio and statistical technique of cusums. The studied traits included leaf number and height, bolting percentage, bulb yield, days to maturity, mean bulb weight, mean bulb diameter and height, skin number, total soluble solids, dry matter, and bulb storage losses. Bulbs were harvested when 50-80% of the foliage top had fallen and collapsed. To calculate dry matter content of the bulb, 10 bulbs were randomly selected from each plot and their weight was determined. After drying complete samples in the oven (65 ̊C) and fixing weights (about 72 h), samples were weighed again, and dry matter was calculated. After harvesting and curing, bulbs were stored under uncontrolled storage conditions (no heating, cooling, or ventilation systems), and after 3 months, postharvest bulb storage losses were determined. The results were analyzed using SPSS v.26. software. Means of significant differences among treatments were determined at the 0.05 probability level using Duncan’s test. Correlation coefficients among traits were calculated using the Pearson method.

Results and Discussion
Bulbing occurred in the studied genotypes in a photoperiod of less than 13 h; therefore, all progenies and their parents were short-day genotypes. Palize cultivar produced the highest yield. The difference in bulb yield among this cultivar and Sahar, Saba, Savana sweet, and Goldeneye cultivars and Saba and Texas Early Grano half-sib families was not significant. The doubling bulb was not observed in the studied genotypes. The highest bulb dry matter percentage was found in Texas Early Grano cultivar. The decrease in the percentage of bulb dry matter in the Saba cultivar and Savanasweet half-sib families was not significant compared with the Texas Early Grano cultivar. The highest skin number was recorded in the Texas Early Grano cultivar. The decrease in the number of skins in Sahar, Primavera, and Saba cultivars was not significant as compared with that in Texas Early Grano cultivar. The lowest bulb storage losses were observed in Sahar cultivar. The differences in this trait among Paliz, Primavera, and Texas Early Grano cultivars and Paliz, Savanasweet, Duster, Primavera, and Texas Early Grano half-sib families were not significant in comparison to Sahar cultivar. The correlation coefficients among bulb yield with leaf number and height, mean bulb weight and diameter were positive and significant at 1% probability level. Differences in days to maturity were not significant in all genotypes; therefore, final progeny selection was made with emphasis on bulb yield and storage losses. According to these results and comparison of days to maturity, yield and bulb storage losses in progenies half -sib with maternal parent and parents' mean the half-sib, progenies of Saba, Daster, and Texas Early Grano were selected.

Conclusion
The results showed that Texas Early Grano, Saba, and Duster half-sib families with high bulb yields (from 65.18 to 68.29 t.ha-1) and good storability (storage bulb losses from 11.79% to 15.41%) are promising genotypes for introducing as short-day indigenous onion cultivars.

Keywords

Bolting
Selection
Storability
Yield
Subjects

Authors retain the copyright. This is an open access article distributed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).

 

1.            Abbasi, Z., Darabi, A., & Emad Shahmansouri, A. (2022). Evaluation of short day onion (Allium cepa L.) genotypes for quantity and quality traits. Journal of Horticulture and Postharvest Research , 55(4), 379-390 . (In Persian with English abstract). https://doi.org/10.22077/jhpr.2022.5163.1271
2.            Abbasi, Z., Darabi, A., & Bocianowski, J. (2023). Multivariate analysisof short day onion (Allium cepa L.) genotypes by canonical variate analysis and mahalanobis distances. Sustainability, 15, 3217. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15043217
3.            Abbasi, Z., Darabi, A., & Rostam Forodi, B. (2025). Evaluation of flowering characteristics, bulb yield and quality in commercial cultivars of short-day onion (Allium cepa L.). Journal of Plant Production Research, 32(1), 181-197. (In Persian with English abstract). https://doi.org/10.22069/jopp.2024.22649.3165
4.            Acquaah, G. (2012). Principles of Plant Genetics and Breeding. 2nd Ed. Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford.
5.            Agricultural Statistics. (2024). Agricultural Statistics, First volume, Field Crops, 2022-2023. Agriculture, Programing and Economic Deputy, Statistics and Information Technology Office. pp. 62.
6.            Aminpour, R, Mobli, M., & Mortazav Bak, A. (2012). Study of quantitative and qualitative characteristics of short day onion cultivars in Isfahan. Journal of Horticultural Science, 25(4), 404-410. (In Persian with English abstract). http://doi.org/10.22067/jhorts4.v1390i0.11608.
7.            Anantha Raddy, M., Vasudev Naik, P., Jaiparakash Narayan, R. P., Pampanna, Y., Govindappa , M. R. E., & Mahantesh,Y. G. (2022). Correlation and path analysis in onion genotypes under Nort-Eastern dry zone of Karnataka. The Pharma Innnovoation Journal, 11(8), 2114-2117.
8.            Aragie, E., Alemayehu, M., & Abate, A. (2023). Influences of seedling age and variety on the growth and bulb yield of onion in Northwest Ethiopia. International Journal of Agronomy, 9132446, 1-8.  https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/9132446
9.            Aweke, A., & Diriba-Shiferaw, G. (2024). Growth, yield and economic advantage of onion (Allium cepa L.) varieties in response to NPSB fertilizer and planting pattern. International Journal of Horticulture, Agriculture and Food Science (IJHAF), 8(1), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.22161/ijhaf.8.1
10.        Benke, A. P., Mahajan , V., & Mokat, D. N. (2025). Unraveling the biochemical diversity in short-day onion genotypes. Horticulturae, 11, 484. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11050484
11.        Choudhary, G., Bairwa, L. N., Garhwal, O. P., Soni, A. K., Choudhary, M. R., Yadav, D. K., Singh, S. P., Meena, K. K., & Bairwa, S. K. (2022). Growth and yield increments of onion (Allium cepa L.) with transplanting dates, cultivars and zinc in semi-arid conditions of Rajasthan. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 14(3), 794-797.
12.        Cramer, C. (2003). Comparison of open-pollinated and hybrid onion varieties for New Mexico. HortTecnology, 11, 119-123. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH.11.1.119
13.        Darabi, A. (2009). Study of bulbing physiology in important local populations of Iranian onion in Behbahan and Karaj province. Ph.D. Thesis, College of Agriculture, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran.
14.        Darabi, A. (2016a). Physiology and Production of Onion. Publication of Agricultural Education. Karaj. 276 p.
15.        Darabi, A. (2016b). The study of effect of planting date and density on marketable yield and bulb characteristics of an onion population from Behbahan. Journal of Crop Production and Processing, 5(18), 301-314. (In Persian with English abstract). https://doi.org/10.18869/acadpub.jcpp.5.18.301
16.        Darabi, A. (2018). Storability evaluation of short day onion populations and cultivars in non-controlled storage. Iranin Journal of Horticultural Science, 49(1), 105-116. (In Persian with English abstract). https://doi.org/10.22059/ijhs.2017.219739.1118
17.        Darabi, A. (2020). Comparison the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of open-pollinated and hybrid short day onion cultivars in Khuzestan climatic conditions. Iranian Journal of Horticultural Science, 51(3(, 691-703. (In Persian with English abstract). https://doi.org/10.22059/IJHS.2019.283423.1665
18.        Darabi, A. (2021). Comparative postharvest losses of short day onion (Allium cepa L.) cultivars in uncontrolled storage conditions. Journal of Crop Production and Processing, 11(3), 1-16. (In Persian with English abstract).
19.        Darabi, A. (2024). Bulb storability and thrips tolerance of some onion genotypes in non-controlled storage. Iranian Journal of Horticultural Science and Technology, 25(1), 423-440. (In Persian with English abstract).
20.        Darabi, A. (2025). The effects of planting patterns and density on yield and monetary benefits in intercropping of onion and lettuce. Journal of Crop Production and Processing, 5(1), 71-87. (In Persian with English abstract).  https://doi.org/10.47176/jcpp.15.1.22317
21.        Darabi, A., & Ghenevati Moghadam, A. (2020). Study the bulbing date and morphological characters of landrace populations and onion commercial cultivars in Khuzestan region. Journal of Plant Production, 27(2), 1-18. (In Persian with English abstract). https://doi.org/10.22069/JOPP.2020.15491.2390
22.        Darabi, A., & Khajehzadeh, Y. (2022). Investigating the quantitative and qualitative characteristics and resistance to thrips of onion genotypes. Journal of Crop Production and Processing, 12(3), 101-115. (In Persian with English abstract). https://doi.org/10.47176/jcpp.12.3.22315
23.        Darabi, A., & Yaghubi, V. (2022). Study the Effects of planting methods on qualitative and quantitative characteristics and economic benefit of Short-day onion genotypes. Iranian Journal of Horticultural Science and Technology, 23(3), 497-510. (In Peraian with English abstract). https://dor.isc.ac/dor/20.1001.1.16807154.1401.23.3.7.9
24.        Falconer, D. S. ,& Mackay, T. F. C. (1996). Introduction to Quantitative Genetics. 4th Ed. Pearson Prentice Hall, Harlow, England, 433 p.
25.        Gashua, I. B., Simon, S. Y., Bashir, L. U., & Kadams, A. M. (2013). Inheritance studies of some quantitative traits in onion (Allium cepa L.) International Journal of Biosciences, 3(4), 135-141. http://dx.doi.org/10.12692/ijb/3.4.135-141
26.        Hosmani, R. M., Patil, B. C., & Ajjappalvera, P. S. (2010). Genetic variability and character association studies in onion (Allium cepa L.). Karnataka Journal of Agricultural Science 23(2), 302-305.
27.        Kearsey, M. J., & Pooni, H. S. (1996). The genetical analysis of quantitative traits. Chapman & Hall, London. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003062806
28.        Ko, S. S. (2001). Identification of good storability in short-day onion and its mechanism of resistance to Aspergillus niger. Ph.D. Thesis. Natl. Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China.
29.        Mahajan, V., Amar, J., & Gupta, A. J. (2023). Onion: Breeding and genomics. Vegetable Science, 50, 244-260.
30.         Mallor, C., Balcells, M., Mallor, F., & Sales, E. (2011). Genetic variation for bulb size, soluble solids content and pungency in the spanish sweet onion variety Fuentes de Ebro. Response to selection for low pungency. Plant Breeding, 130(1), 55-59. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0523.2009.01737.x
31.        Manel, N. V., Kale, V. S., & Karande, P. J. (2024). Correlation and path analysis in rabi onion (Allium cepa L.) genotypes. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 6(3), 56-58.
32.        Mansouri, S. M., Mobli, M., Ebadi, R., & Rezai, A. (2008). Polycross effects on agronomical characteristics and yield of nine onion genotypes in Isfahan. Journal of Water and Soil Science, 12(45) ,615-625. (In Persian with English abstract).
33.        Miruts, F., Beshir, B., & Ejersa, G. (2021). Farmer preferred and financially feasible onion varieties for scaling: evidence from the central rift valley in Ethiopia. Ethiopian Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 31, 45-56.
34.        Mousavizadeh, S. A. (2019). Genetic variability, correlation and path analysis in Iranian onion landraces. Journal of Horticultural Science, 33(1), 29-39. (In Persian with English abstract). https://doi.org/10.22067/jhorts4.v33i1.65006
35.        Nguyen, H. T., & Sleper, D. A. (1983). Theory and application of half-sib mating in forage grass breeding. Theoritical andApplied Genetics, 64, 187-196. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00303763
36.        Petropoulos, S. A.,  Ntatsi, G., & Ferreira. I. C. F. R. (2017). Long-term storage of onion and the factors that affect its quality: A critical review. Food Reviews International, 33(1), 62-83. https://doi.org/10.1080/87559129.2015.1137312
37.        Ratan, D. R., Gowda, V., & Himanshu, P. (2017). Evaluation of different onion (Allium cepa L.) genotypes for yield and quality parameters in kharif season under bengaluru condition, India. International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences, 6(11), 2393-2398.
38.        Shah Murad, S., Khalid Niaz, K., Ali, A., & Aslam, A. ( 2018). Ginger and onion: New and novel considerations. Pharmacy & Pharmacology International Journal, 6, 49-52. https://doi.org/10.15406/ppij.2018.06.00154
39.        Tabassum, M. I., Muhammad Saleem, M. S., Muhammad Akbar, M. A., Ashraf, M. Y., & Naeem Mahmood, N. M. (2007). Combining ability studies in maize under normal and water stress conditions. Journal of Agriculture Research, 45, 261-269.
40.        Yoo, K. S., Pike, L. M., Patil, B. S., & Lee, E. J. (2020). Developing sweet onions by recurrent selection in a short-day onion breeding program. Scientia Horticulturae, 266, 109269. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2020.109269
Send comment about this article
Enter Name.
Enter a valid email address.
Enter a vaid affiliation.
Enter comments (At leaset 10 words)
CAPTCHA Image
Enter Security Code Correctly.
Journal of Horticultural Science
Volume 40, Issue 2
Summer 2026
Pages 348-333

  • Receive Date 18 June 2025
  • Revise Date 06 September 2025
  • Accept Date 28 September 2025
  • First Publish Date 28 September 2025

Home

Editorial Board

Publication Ethics

Contact Us