Morphology and cultivars evaluation of shallot for improvement

Abstract

Shallot is an economically important vegetable. It is consumed in households and used as an industry raw material, and it has been cultivated most prevalently in Southeast Asia. The shallots that are grown in Thailand, however, remain unsettled about their origins and cultivars. This study aimed to collect shallots from Chiang Mai (CMI), Chaiyaphum (CPM), Chiang Rai (CRI), Khon Kaen (KKN), Lamphun (LPN), Mae Hong Son (MSN), Nakhon Ratchasima (NMA), Phetchabun (PNB), Phayao (PYO), Si Sa Ket (SSK), Uttaradit (UTT), Indonesia (IDO) and red onion from India (IND) for evaluating their morphological diversity. The 27 accessions were cultivated in the winter of 2022 with a randomized complete block design (RCBD).  The result showed that the bulb colors were classified into red, orangish yellow, and white. Two types of leaf characteristics were identified, erect and intermediate leaves. Red onion (IND01) was found to have the largest leaf diameter, inflorescence number, and inflorescence width; of 9.68 millimeters, 4.5 Inflorescences per tiller, and 79.16 millimeters, respectively. The correlation coefficient (r) values of the relationship between yield weight after drying and the variables of leaves number, leaves length, leaves diameter, bulb number, and bulb circumference were 0.30, 0.22, 0.14, 0.49, and 0.04, respectively. NMA08 and NMA09 had yield weights after drying of 3,225.49 and 3,356.23 kilograms per rai, respectively. The bulb circumference of NMA07 was 12.14 centimeters and significantly different from those of NMA08 and NMA09, which ranged from 9.88 to 9.93 centimeters, respectively. Therefore, the NMA07, NMA08 and NMA09 shallot cultivars showed optimum growth and development and high yield weight which are suitable for further improvement and promotion to Thai farmers for future cultivation.