Bolting in Onion

Bolting in Onion

1. When onion crop is grown for bulbs some premature seed stalks are produced before completing the normal life cycle of the onion bulbs known as ‘bolting’.
2. This is not desirable because the further development of bulb stops.
3. These bulbs become fibrous and light in weight.
4. The leaves and bulbs become unfit for consumption.
5.  Such bulbs do not have long keeping quality.
6. The seed obtained from such bolts is poor in germination and seedlings are very weak.
7. Remedy – spraying of 0.5% MH – 40 (Malic hydrazide) after 2 ½ months of transplanting reduces the bolting by 30 p.c.