Evaluating Performance of Vidalia Onion Varieties for Suitability in Organic Production
Applied Research
Ross Greene
Evans and Candler County Extension Agent
University of Georgia
Claxton
Abstract
Organic Vidalia onion production in Georgia lacks research-based variety recommendations, creating uncertainty for growers in a small but strategically important segment of the Vidalia onion industry. Organic onions account for approximately 2 to 2.5 percent of total Vidalia onion acreage, yet most growers producing organic onions also manage conventional acreage. Organic onions play a strategic role within a diversified product mix to meet retailer demand rather than as the primary focus of farm profitability. Grocery buyers place truckload orders primarily composed of conventional Vidalia sweet onions with smaller volumes of red and organic onions, making organic production an important component for maintaining market access and customer relationships. Improving the profitability of organic production, therefore, has implications beyond the limited acreage currently grown in the Vidalia region. To address this gap, UGA Extension Agent Ross Greene established the first on-farm organic Vidalia onion variety trial in Georgia in collaboration with a USDA-certified organic grower in Evans County. Seven commercially available onion varieties were selected based on grower feedback and evaluated under certified organic management. Varieties were planted in replicated plots and harvested based on maturity. Marketable yields ranged from 660 to 914 boxes per acre. The top-performing variety produced a higher proportion of jumbo bulbs, accounting for 71 percent of its marketable yield, while the lowest-yielding entry produced predominantly medium-sized bulbs. Economic analysis showed that selecting a top-performing variety increased net returns by up to $3,820 per acre. By improving organic onion performance, this project enhances whole farm profitability, strengthens grower-buyer relationships, and supports the long-term competitiveness of the Vidalia onion industry as a whole. Although organic onions represent a small percentage of total acreage, improving their performance strengthens whole farm systems and supports the long-term stability of the Vidalia onion industry.
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Authors: Ross Greene
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Greene, R. Evans and Candler County Extension Agent, University of Georgia Extension , Georgia, 30417