Jump to content

Onion

Edit links
This is a good article. Click here for more information.
Page semi-protected
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Onion set)
This article is about the plant. For other uses, see Onion (disambiguation).
"Onions" redirects here. For the surname, see Onions (surname).

Onion
A display of commercially-grown bulbs, including red and yellow cultivars.
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Amaryllidaceae
Subfamily: Allioideae
Genus: Allium
Subgenus: A. subg. Cepa
Species:
A. cepa
Binomial name
Allium cepa
Synonyms[1]
Species synonymy
  • Allium angolense Baker
  • Allium aobanum Araki
  • Allium ascalonicum auct.
  • Allium ascalonicum var. condensum Millán
  • Allium ascalonicum var. fertile Millán
  • Allium ascalonicum f. rotterianum Voss ex J.Becker
  • Allium ascalonicum var. sterile Millán
  • Allium cepa var. aggregatum G.Don
  • Allium cepa var. anglicum Alef.
  • Allium cepa var. argenteum Alef.
  • Allium cepa var. bifolium Alef.
  • Allium cepa var. crinides Alef.
  • Allium cepa var. flandricum Alef.
  • Allium cepa var. globosum Alef.
  • Allium cepa var. hispanicum Alef.
  • Allium cepa var. jamesii Alef.
  • Allium cepa var. lisboanum Alef.
  • Allium cepa var. luteum Alef.
  • Allium cepa var. multiplicans L.H.Bailey
  • Allium cepa var. portanum Alef.
  • Allium cepa var. praecox Alef.
  • Allium cepa var. rosum Alef.
  • Allium cepa var. sanguineum Alef.
  • Allium cepa var. solaninum Alef.
  • Allium cepa var. tripolitanum Alef.
  • Allium cepa var. viviparum (Metzg.) Alef.
  • Allium cepaeum St.-Lag.
  • Allium commune Noronha
  • Allium cumaria Buch.-Ham. ex Wall.
  • Allium esculentum Salisb.
  • Allium napus Pall. ex Kunth
  • Allium nigritanum A.Chev.
  • Allium pauciflorum Willd. ex Ledeb.
  • Allium salota Dostál
  • Ascalonicum sativum P.Renault
  • Cepa alba P.Renault
  • Cepa esculenta Gray
  • Cepa pallens P.Renault
  • Cepa rubra P.Renault
  • Cepa vulgaris Garsault
  • Kepa esculenta Raf.
  • Porrum cepa (L.) Rchb.

An onion (Allium cepa L., from Latin cepa meaning "onion"), also known as the bulb onion or common onion, is a vegetable that is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Allium. The shallot is a botanical variety of the onion which was classified as a separate species until 2011. The onion's close relatives include garlic, scallion, leek, and chives.

The genus contains several other species variously called onions and cultivated for food, such as the Japanese bunching onion Allium fistulosum, the tree onion Allium × proliferum, and the Canada onion Allium canadense. The name wild onion is applied to a number of Allium species, but A. cepa is exclusively known from cultivation. Its ancestral wild original form is not known, although escapes from cultivation have become established in some regions. The onion is most frequently a biennial or a perennial plant, but is usually treated as an annual and harvested in its first growing season.

The onion plant has a fan of hollow, bluish-green leaves, and its bulb at the base of the plant begins to swell when a certain day-length is reached. The bulbs are composed of shortened, compressed, underground stems surrounded by fleshy modified scale (leaves) that envelop a central bud at the tip of the stem. In the autumn (or in spring, in the case of overwintering onions), the foliage dies down and the outer layers of the bulb become more dry, and brittle. The crop is harvested and dried and the onions are ready for use or storage. The crop is prone to attack by a number of pests and diseases, particularly the onion fly, the onion eelworm, and various fungi which can cause rotting. Some varieties of A. cepa, such as shallots and potato onions, produce multiple bulbs.

Onions are cultivated and used around the world. As a food item, they are often served raw as a vegetable or part of a prepared savoury dish, but can be eaten cooked or used to make pickles or chutneys. They are pungent when chopped and contain certain chemical substances which may irritate the eyes.

Taxonomy and etymology

The onion plant (Allium cepa), also known as the bulb onion[2] or common onion,[3] is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Allium.[4][5] It was first officially described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1753 work Species Plantarum.[6] Synonyms during its taxonomic history are:[7][8]

  • Allium cepa var. aggregatum – G. Don
  • Allium cepa var. bulbiferum – Regel
  • Allium cepa var. cepa – Linnaeus
  • Allium cepa var. multiplicans – L.H. Bailey
  • Allium cepa var. proliferum – (Moench) Regel
  • Allium cepa var. solaninum – Alef
  • Allium cepa var. viviparum – (Metz) Mansf.[7][8]

A. cepa is known exclusively from cultivation,[9] but related wild species occur in Central Asia and Iran. The most closely related include A. vavilovii from Turkmenistan and A. asarense from Iran.[10][11] The genus Allium contains other species variously called onions and cultivated for food, such as the Japanese bunching onion (A. fistulosum), Egyptian onion (A.  × proliferum), and Canada onion (A. canadense).[3] The vast majority of cultivars of A. cepa belong to the common onion group (A. cepa var. cepa) and are usually referred to simply as onions. The Aggregatum Group of cultivars (A. cepa var. aggregatum) includes both shallots,[12] formerly classed as a separate species,[13][14] and potato onions.[12] Related species include garlic, leek, and chives.[15]

Cepa is commonly accepted as Latin for "onion"; the generic name Allium is the classical Latin name for garlic.[16] It has an affinity with Spanish: cebolla, Italian: cipolla, Polish: cebula, and the German Zwiebel (this last altered by folk etymology). The English word "chive" is from the Old French chive , in turn from cepa.[17]

Description

The onion is a biennial plant but is usually grown as an annual. Modern varieties typically grow to a height of 15 to 45 cm (6 to 18 in). The leaves are yellowish- to bluish green and grow alternately in a flattened, fan-shaped swathe. They are fleshy, hollow, and cylindrical, with one flattened side. They are at their broadest about a quarter of the way up, beyond which they taper to blunt tips. The base of each leaf is a flattened, usually white sheath that grows out of the basal plate of a bulb. From the underside of the plate, a bundle of fibrous roots extends for a short way into the soil. As the onion matures, food reserves accumulate in the leaf bases, and the bulb of the onion swells.[18]

In the autumn, the leaves die back, and the outer scales of the bulb become dry and brittle, so the crop is normally harvested. If left in the soil over winter, the growing point in the middle of the bulb begins to develop in the spring. New leaves appear, and a long, stout, hollow stem expands, topped by a bract protecting a developing inflorescence. The inflorescence takes the form of a rounded umbel of white flowers with parts in sixes. The seeds are glossy black and triangular in cross-section.[18] The average pH of an onion is around 5.5.[19]

  • Roots, leaves and developing bulb
    Roots, leaves and developing bulb
  • Inflorescence with flower buds
    Inflorescence with flower buds
  • Seeds
    Seeds

History

Medieval woodcut print of an onion, from Hortus Sanitatis (1547)

Humans have grown and selectively bred onions in cultivation for at least 7,000 years.[20] The geographic origin of the onion is uncertain; ancient records of onion use span both eastern and western Asia.[21][22] Domestication likely took place in West or Central Asia.[12][23] Onions have been variously described as having originated in Iran, western Pakistan and Central Asia.[21][23]: 1 [22][24] The onion species Allium fistulosum (spring onion, bunching onion) and Allium tuberosum (Chinese leek) were domesticated in China around 6000 BC alongside other vegetables, grains, and fruits.[25]

Recipes using onions and other Allium species were recorded in cuneiform script on clay tablets in ancient Mesopotamia, around 2000 BC; the tablets are held in Yale University's Babylonian collection.[26] The Assyriologist and "gourmet cook"[26] Jean Bottero stated this was "a cuisine of striking richness, refinement, sophistication and artistry".[26]

Ancient Egyptians revered the onion bulb, viewing its spherical shape and concentric rings as symbols of eternal life.[23] Onions were used in Egyptian burials, as evidenced by onion traces found in the eye sockets of Ramesses IV.[27] Pliny the Elder of the first century AD wrote about the use of onions and cabbage in Pompeii. He documented Roman beliefs about the onion's ability to improve ocular ailments, aid in sleep, and heal everything from oral sores and toothaches to dog bites, lumbago, and even dysentery. Archaeologists unearthing Pompeii long after its 79 AD volcanic burial have found gardens resembling those in Pliny's detailed narratives. According to texts collected in the fifth/sixth century AD under the authorial aegis of "Apicius" (said to have been a gourmet), onions were used in many Roman recipes.[23]

In the Age of Discovery, onions were taken to North America by the first European settlers in part of the Columbian exchange. They found close relatives of the plant such as Allium tricoccum readily available and widely used in Native American gastronomy.[21] According to diaries kept by some of the first English colonists, the bulb onion was one of the first crops planted in North America by the Pilgrim fathers.[23] Between 1883 and 1939, inventors in the United States patented 97 inventions meant to make onion-growing more efficient through automation.[28]

Uses

Culinary

See also: List of onion dishes
Sautéing onions

Three colour varieties of onions offer different possibilities for the cook:

  • Yellow or brown onions are sweet, with many cultivars bred specifically to accentuate this sweetness, such as Vidalia, Walla Walla, Cévennes, and Bermuda.[29] Yellow onions turn a rich, dark brown when caramelised and are used to add a sweet flavour to various dishes, such as French onion soup.[30]
  • Red or purple onions, known for their sharp pungent flavour, are commonly cooked in many cuisines, and used raw and in grilling.[30]
  • White onions are mild in flavour; they have a golden colour when cooked and a particularly sweet flavour when sautéed.[30][23]

While the large, mature onion bulb is most often eaten, onions can be eaten at immature stages. Young plants may be harvested before bulbing occurs and used whole as spring onions or scallions. When an onion is harvested after bulbing has begun, but the onion is not yet mature, the plants are sometimes referred to as "summer" onions. Onions may be bred and grown to mature at smaller sizes, known as pearl, boiler, or pickler onions; these are not true pearl onions which are a different species.[31] Pearl and boiler onions may be cooked as a vegetable rather than as an ingredient, while pickler onions are often preserved in vinegar as a long-lasting relish.[32] Onions pickled in vinegar are eaten as a side serving with traditional pub food such as a ploughman's lunch.[33]

Onions are commonly chopped and used as an ingredient in various hearty warm dishes, and may be used as a main ingredient in their own right, for example in French onion soup, creamed onions, and onion chutney. They are versatile and can be baked, boiled, braised, grilled, fried, roasted, sautéed, or eaten raw in salads.[34] Onions are a major ingredient of some curries; the Persian-style dopiaza's name means "double onion", and it is used both in the dish's sour curry sauce and as a garnish.[35] Onion powder is a seasoning made from finely ground, dehydrated onions; it is often included in seasoned salt and spice mixes.[36]

Other uses

Onion epidermis cells are visible in true color with minimal magnification.

Onions have particularly large cells that are easy to observe under low magnification. Forming a single layer of cells, the bulb epidermis is easy to separate for educational, experimental, and breeding purposes.[37][38] Onions are therefore commonly used in science education to teach the use of a microscope for observing cell structure.[39] Onion skins can be boiled to make an orange-brown dye.[40]

Composition

Nutrients

Raw onion bulbs
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy166 kJ (40 kcal)
9.34 g
Sugars4.24 g
Dietary fibre1.7 g
0.1 g
1.1 g
Vitamins and minerals
VitaminsQuantity
%DV†
Thiamine (B1)
4%
0.046 mg
Riboflavin (B2)
2%
0.027 mg
Niacin (B3)
1%
0.116 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5)
2%
0.123 mg
Vitamin B6
7%
0.12 mg
Folate (B9)
5%
19 μg
Vitamin C
8%
7.4 mg
MineralsQuantity
%DV†
Calcium
2%
23 mg
Iron
1%
0.21 mg
Magnesium
2%
10 mg
Manganese
6%
0.129 mg
Phosphorus
2%
29 mg
Potassium
5%
146 mg
Zinc
2%
0.17 mg
Other constituentsQuantity
Water89.11 g
Fluoride1.1 µg
Link to USDA Database entry
†Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults,[41] except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation from the National Academies.[42]

Most onion cultivars are about 89% water, 9% carbohydrates (including 4% sugar and 2% dietary fibre), 1% protein, and negligible fat (table). Onions contain low amounts of essential nutrients and have an energy value of 166 kJ (40 kilocalories) in a 100 g (3.5 oz) amount. Onions contribute savoury flavour to dishes without contributing significant caloric content.[23]

Phytochemicals

Onion varieties vary widely in phytochemical content, particularly for polyphenols, with shallots having the highest level, six times the amount found in Vidalia onions. Yellow onions have the highest total flavonoid content, an amount 11 times higher than in white onions. Red onions have considerable content of anthocyanin pigments, with at least 25 different compounds identified representing 10% of total flavonoid content.[43] Like garlic,[44] onions can show an additional colour – pink-red – after cutting, an effect caused by reactions of amino acids with sulfur compounds.[45] Onion polyphenols are under basic research to determine their possible biological properties in humans.[43][46]

Adverse effects and toxicity

Some people suffer from allergic reactions after handling onions.[47] Symptoms can include contact dermatitis, intense itching, rhinoconjunctivitis, blurred vision, bronchial asthma, sweating, and anaphylaxis. Allergic reactions may not occur when eating cooked onions, possibly due to the denaturing of the proteins from cooking.[48]

Eye irritation

Freshly cut onions can produce a stinging sensation in the eyes of people nearby and often uncontrollable tears. This is caused by the release of a volatile liquid, syn-propanethial-S-oxide and its aerosol, which stimulates nerves in the eye. This gas is produced by a chain of reactions which serve as a defence mechanism: chopping an onion causes damage to cells which releases enzymes called alliinases. These break down amino acid sulfoxides and generate sulfenic acids. A specific sulfenic acid, 1-propenesulfenic acid, is rapidly acted on by a second enzyme, the lacrimatory factor synthase (LFS), producing the syn-propanethial-S-oxide.[4] This gas diffuses through the air and soon reaches the eyes, where it activates sensory neurons. Lacrimal glands produce tears to dilute and flush out the irritant. Eye irritation can be minimised by cutting onions under running water or submerged in a basin of water.[49] Leaving the root end intact also reduces irritation as the onion base has a higher concentration of sulphur compounds than the rest of the bulb.[50]

  • Cut onions emit a chemical compound which cause the lacrimal glands in the eyes to become irritated, releasing tears.
    Cut onions emit a chemical compound which cause the lacrimal glands in the eyes to become irritated, releasing tears.
  • Model of syn-Propanethial-S-oxide, the volatile molecule that causes eye irritation
    Model of syn-Propanethial-S-oxide, the volatile molecule that causes eye irritation

The amount of sulfenic acids and lacrimal factor released and the irritation effect differs among Allium species. In 2008, the New Zealand Institute for Crop and Food Research created "no tears" onions by genetic modification to prevent the synthesis of lachrymatory factor synthase in onions.[51] One study suggests that consumers prefer the flavour of onions with lower LFS content.[52] Since the process impedes sulfur ingestion by the plant, some find LFS− onions inferior in flavour.[53]

A method for efficiently differentiating LFS− and LFS+ onions has been developed based on mass spectrometry, with potential application in high-volume production;[54] gas chromatography is also used to measure lachrymatory factor in onions.[55][56] In early 2018, Bayer released the first crop yield of commercially available LFS-silenced onions under the name "Sunions".[57] They were the product of 30 years of cross-breeding; genetic modification was not employed.[57][58]

Guinea hen weed and honey garlic contain a similar lachrymatory factor.[59] Synthetic onion lachrymatory factor has been used in a study related to tear production,[60] and has been proposed as a nonlethal deterrent against thieves and intruders.[61][62]

Onions are toxic to animals including dogs, cats, and guinea pigs.[63][64]

Producing onions

Cultivation

Onion bulbs to be planted for seed production
Large-scale onion cultivation

Onions are best cultivated in fertile, well-drained soils. Sandy loams are good as they are low in sulphur, while clayey soils usually have a high sulphur content and produce pungent bulbs. Onions require a high level of nutrients in the soil. Phosphorus is often present in sufficient quantities, but may be applied before planting because of its low level of availability in cold soils. Nitrogen and potash can be applied at regular intervals during the growing season, the last application of nitrogen being at least four weeks before harvesting.[65]

Bulbing onions are day-length sensitive; their bulbs begin growing only after the number of daylight hours has surpassed some minimal quantity. Most traditional European onions are referred to as "long-day" onions, producing bulbs only after 14 hours or more of daylight occurs. Southern European and North African varieties are often known as "intermediate-day" types, requiring only 12–13 hours of daylight to stimulate bulb formation. "Short-day" onions, which have been developed in more recent times, are planted in mild-winter areas in the autumn and form bulbs in the early spring and require only 11–12 hours of daylight to stimulate bulb formation.[66] Onions are a cool-weather crop and can be grown in USDA zones 3 to 9.[67] Hot temperatures or other stressful conditions cause them to "bolt", meaning that a flower stem begins to grow.[68]

Onions are grown from seeds or from partially grown bulbs called "sets" or starter bulbs. Onion seeds are short-lived and fresh seeds germinate more effectively when sown in shallow rows, or "drills," with each drill 12" to 18" apart.[67][69] In suitable climates, certain cultivars can be sown in late summer and autumn to overwinter in the ground and produce early crops the following year.[18]

Onion bulbs are produced by sowing seeds in a dense pattern in early summer, then harvested in the autumn when the bulbs are still small, followed by drying and storage. These bulbs are planted the following spring and grow into mature bulbs later in the growing season.[70] Certain cultivars used for growing and storing bulbs may not have as good storage characteristics as those grown directly from seed.[18]

Routine care during the growing season involves keeping the rows free of competing weeds, especially when the plants are young. The plants are shallow-rooted and do not need much water when established. Bulbing usually takes place after 12 to 18 weeks. The bulbs can be gathered when needed to eat fresh, but if stored, they are harvested after the leaves have died back naturally. In dry weather, they may be left on the surface of the soil for a few days for drying, then are placed in nets, roped into strings, or laid in layers in shallow boxes to be stored in a cool, well-ventilated place.[18]

Pests and diseases

Onions suffer from several pests and diseases. The most serious for the home gardener are likely to be the onion fly, stem and bulb eelworm, white rot, and neck rot. Diseases affecting the foliage include rust and smut, downy mildew, and white tip disease. The bulbs may be affected by splitting, white rot, and neck rot. Shanking is a condition in which the central leaves turn yellow and the inner part of the bulb collapses into an unpleasant-smelling slime. Most of these disorders are best treated by removing and burning affected plants.[71] The larvae of the onion leaf miner or leek moth (Acrolepiopsis assectella) sometimes attack the foliage and may burrow down into the bulb.[72]

The onion fly (Delia antiqua) lays eggs on the leaves and stems and on the ground close to onion, shallot, leek, and garlic plants. The fly is attracted to the crop by the smell of damaged tissue and is liable to occur after thinning. Plants grown from sets are less prone to attack. The larvae tunnel into the bulbs and the foliage wilts and turns yellow. The bulbs are disfigured and rot, especially in wet weather. Control measures may include crop rotation, the use of seed dressings, early sowing or planting, and the removal of infested plants.[73]

The onion eelworm (Ditylenchus dipsaci), a tiny parasitic soil-living nematode, causes swollen, distorted foliage. Young plants are killed and older ones produce soft bulbs. No cure is known and affected plants should be uprooted and burned. The site should not be used for growing onions again for several years and should also be avoided for growing carrots, parsnips, and beans, which are also susceptible to the eelworm.[74]

White rot of onions, leeks, and garlic is caused by the soil-borne fungus Sclerotium cepivorum. As the roots rot, the foliage turns yellow and wilts. The bases of the bulbs are attacked and become covered by a fluffy white mass of mycelia, which later produces small, globular black structures called sclerotia. These resting structures remain in the soil to reinfect a future crop. No cure for this fungal disease exists, so affected plants should be removed and destroyed and the ground used for unrelated crops in subsequent years.[75]

Neck rot is a fungal disease affecting onions in storage. It is caused by Botrytis allii, which attacks the neck and upper parts of the bulb, causing a grey mould to develop. The symptoms often first occur where the bulb has been damaged and spread down the affected scales. Large quantities of spores are produced and crust-like sclerotia may also develop. In time, a dry rot sets in and the bulb becomes a dry, mummified structure. This disease may be present throughout the growing period, but only manifests itself when the bulb is in storage. Antifungal seed dressings are available and the disease can be minimised by preventing physical damage to the bulbs at harvesting, careful drying and curing of the mature onions, and correct storage in a cool, dry place with plenty of circulating air.[76]

Onion oil is authorised for use in the European Union for use as a pesticide against carrot fly in umbelliferous crops (carrots, parsnips, parsley, celery, celeriac).[77]

Production of onions and shallots (green) in 2022
Country tonnes
 China 864,488
 Mali 610,576
 Angola 558,480
 Japan 510,462
World 4,970,615
Source: UN Food and Agriculture Organization[78]

Production

Onion grading at the Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience, England, using a manually-operated sorter

Onions are a widely cultivated crop, in quantity second only to tomatoes.[79] In 2021, the top global producers of onions were China, India, the United States, and Turkey.[80] In 2022, world production of onions and shallots (as green produce) was 5.0 million tonnes, led by China with 17% of the total, and Mali, Angola, and Japan as secondary producers.[78]

Storage

In the home, cooking onions and sweet onions are best stored at room temperature, optimally in a single layer, in large mesh bags in a dry, cool, dark, well-ventilated location. In this environment, cooking onions have a shelf life of three to four weeks and sweet onions one to two weeks. Cooking onions will absorb odours from apples and pears. Additionally, they draw moisture from vegetables with which they are stored which may cause them to decay.[67][81]

Sweet onions have a greater water and sugar content than cooking onions. This makes them sweeter and milder tasting, but reduces their shelf life. Sweet onions can be stored refrigerated; they have a shelf life of around one month. Irrespective of type, any cut pieces of onion are best tightly wrapped, stored away from other produce, and used within two to three days.[50]

Varieties

Further information: List of onion cultivars
Rossa di Tropea onions for sale in Italy

Common onion group (var. cepa)

Most of the diversity within A. cepa occurs within this group, the most economically important Allium crop. Plants within this group form large single bulbs, and are grown from seed or seed-grown sets. The majority of cultivated varieties grown for dry bulbs, salad onions, and pickling onions belong to this group.[12] The range of diversity found among these cultivars includes variation in photoperiod (length of day that triggers bulbing), storage life, flavour, and skin colour.[82]

Aggregatum group (var. aggregatum)

This group contains shallots and potato onions, also referred to as multiplier onions. The bulbs are smaller than those of common onions, and a single plant forms an aggregate cluster of several bulbs from a master. They are propagated almost exclusively from daughter bulbs, although reproduction from seed is possible. Shallots are the most important subgroup within this group and comprise the only cultivars cultivated commercially. They form aggregate clusters of small, narrowly ovoid to pear-shaped bulbs. Potato onions differ from shallots in forming larger bulbs with fewer bulbs per cluster, and having a flattened (onion-like) shape. Intermediate forms exist.[12]

I'itoi onion is a prolific multiplier onion cultivated in the Baboquivari Peak Wilderness, Arizona area. This small-bulb type has a shallot-like flavour and is easy to grow and ideal for hot, dry climates. Bulbs are separated, and planted in the fall 25 mm (1 in) below the surface and 300 mm (12 in) apart. Bulbs will multiply into clumps and can be harvested throughout the cooler months. Tops die back in the heat of summer and may return with heavy rains; bulbs can remain in the ground or be harvested and stored in a cool dry place for planting in the fall. The plants rarely flower; propagation is by division.[83]

Hybrids with A. cepa parentage

The tree or Egyptian onion is a hybrid of A. cepa and A. fistulosum.

Some hybrids are cultivated that have A. cepa parentage, such as the diploid tree onion or Egyptian onion (A. ×proliferum), and the triploid onion (A. ×cornutum).[84]

The tree onion or Egyptian onion produces bulblets in the umbel instead of flowers, and is now known to be a hybrid of A. cepa and A. fistulosum. It has previously been treated as a variety of A. cepa, for example A. cepa var. proliferum, A. cepa var. bulbiferum, and A. cepa var. viviparum.[85][86] It has been grown for centuries in Japan and China for use as a salad onion.[87][3]

The triploid onion is a hybrid species with three sets of chromosomes, two sets from A. cepa and the third set from an unknown parent.[86] Various clones of the triploid onion are grown locally in different regions, such as 'Ljutika' in Croatia, and 'Pran', 'Poonch', and 'Srinagar' in the India-Kashmir region. 'Pran' is grown extensively in the northern Indian provinces of Jammu and Kashmir. There are very small genetic differences between 'Pran' and the Croatian clone 'Ljutika', implying a monophyletic origin for this species.[88]

Spring onions or salad onions may be grown from the Welsh onion (A. fistulosum), as well as from A. cepa. Young plants of A. fistulosum and A. cepa look very similar, but may be distinguished by their leaves, which are circular in cross-section in A. fistulosum rather than flattened on one side.[89]

An Onion Johnny, his bicycle laden with onions and garlic, in London, 2008

The name 'the Big Onion' was formerly used of New York City, before it became 'the Big Apple', and Chicago became 'the Big Onion'.[26]

The 10th century Exeter Book, written in Old English, contains a riddle which seems to be about an onion, with sexual overtones. The "wondrous creature, a joy to women" stands "in a bed"; "My column is erect and tall"; a woman "rubs me to redness" but at once "she feels my meeting"; the riddle ends "Wet will be that eye."[90]

In the Odyssey, Homer included the lines "I saw the shining tunic about his skin, like the skin of a dried onion, so soft was it, and it shone in the sun".[91] R. Drew Griffith comments that the double comparison of the tunic that Penelope gave to the disguised Odysseus to onion and sun "risks being funny", and notes that Theopompus indeed found it "ridiculous".[92] Griffith suggests that Homer included the onion because of its capacity to produce tears, hinting at Penelope's sorrow at Odysseus's long absence.[92]

Onion Johnnies were Breton farmers and agricultural labourers who travelled from Roscoff in Brittany, originally on foot and later on bicycles, selling strings of distinctive pink onions door to door in Britain.[93]

In India, when the price of onions became very high in 2015, the Hindustan Times recorded that people shared many onion jokes, such as the punning प्या (र)ज़ लो, प्याज़ दो (pya (r)z lo, pyaz do, "take love, give me onions").[94]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Allium cepa L.". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew – via The Plant List. Note that this website has been superseded by World Flora Online
  2. ^ "Allium cepa var. cepa". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
  3. ^ a b c Fritsch 2002, pp. 9–10.
  4. ^ a b Eric Block, "Garlic and Other Alliums: The Lore and the Science" (Cambridge: Royal Society of Chemistry, 2010)
  5. ^ Brewster, James L. (1994). Onions and other vegetable Alliums (1st ed.). Wallingford, UK: CAB International. p. 16. ISBN 978-0-85198-753-8.
  6. ^ Linnaeus, Carl (1753). Species Plantarum (in Latin). Vol. 1. Stockholm: Laurentii Salvii. p. 262. Archived from the original on 16 June 2018. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  7. ^ a b USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "​Allium cepa​". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 31 March 2013.
  8. ^ a b "Allium cepa L." Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
  9. ^ McNeal, Dale W. Jr.; Jacobsen, T. D. (2002). "Allium cepa". In Flora of North America Editorial Committee (ed.). Flora of North America North of Mexico (FNA). Vol. 26. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press – via eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
  10. ^ Grubben, G.J.H.; Denton, O.A. (2004) Plant Resources of Tropical Africa 2. Vegetables. PROTA Foundation, Wageningen; Backhuys, Leiden; CTA, Wageningen.
  11. ^ Zohary, Daniel; Hopf, Maria (2000). Domestication of plants in the Old World (Third ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 198. ISBN 978-0-19-850357-6.
  12. ^ a b c d e Fritsch 2002, pp. 20–21.
  13. ^ "Allium cepa". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 20 August 2010.
  14. ^ Fritsch 2002, p. 21.
  15. ^ Block, E. (2010). Garlic and Other Alliums: The Lore and the Science. Royal Society of Chemistry. ISBN 978-0-85404-190-9. Archived from the original on 1 August 2020. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  16. ^ "Allium cepa - Plant Finder". www.missouribotanicalgarden.org. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  17. ^ "chive (n.)". Online Etymological Dictionary. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
  18. ^ a b c d e Brickell, Christopher, ed. (1992). The Royal Horticultural Society Encyclopedia of Gardening. Dorling Kindersley. p. 345. ISBN 978-0-86318-979-1.
  19. ^ "Approximate pH Values of Common Foods and Ingredients" (PDF). Wisconsin Food Safety and Health. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 December 2012. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
  20. ^ Anastassakis, Konstantinos (2022). "Allium Cepa (Red Onion)". Androgenetic Alopecia From A to Z. Cham: Springer International Publishing. pp. 465–469. doi:10.1007/978-3-031-08057-9_54. ISBN 978-3-031-08056-2. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
  21. ^ a b c Cumo, C.E. (2015). Onion. In: Foods that Changed History: How Foods Shaped Civilization from the Ancient World to the Present. ABC-CLIO LLC (American Bibliographic Center, CLIO Press). pp. 248–250. ISBN 9781440835377. Archived from the original on 4 February 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  22. ^ a b Ansari, Naser Alemzadeh (2007). "Onion Cultivation and Production in Iran" (PDF). Middle Eastern and Russian Journal of Plant Science and Biotechnology. 1 (2): 26–38. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 August 2021. Retrieved 22 April 2022 – via Global Science Books. Onion originated in Iran and its neighboring countries (Hanelt 1990).
  23. ^ a b c d e f g "History of onions". US National Onion Association, Greeley, CO. 2011. Archived from the original on 24 June 2017. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  24. ^ Block, Eric (2010). Garlic and Other Alliums: The Lore and the Science. Royal Society of Chemistry. pp. 5–6. ISBN 9780854041909. Archived from the original on 1 August 2020. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  25. ^ Veeck, Gregory; Pannell, Clifton W. (2021). "9. Agriculture: From Antiquity to Revolution to Reform. Early Farming Traditions". China's Geography (4th ed.). Lanham, Boulder, New York, London: Rowman & Littlefield. p. 235. ISBN 9781538140796.
  26. ^ a b c d "Three cheers for the onion". BBC. 4 January 2015. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  27. ^ Abdel-Maksouda, Gomaa; El-Aminb, Abdel-Rahman (2011). "A review on the materials used during the mummification process in ancient Egypt" (PDF). Mediterranean Archaeology and Archaeometry. 11 (2): 129–150. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 March 2014. Retrieved 13 September 2013.
  28. ^ Gripshover, Margaret M.; Bell, Thomas L. (Spring 2012). "Patently Good Ideas: Innovations and Inventions in U.S. Onion Farming, 1883–1939". Material Culture. 44 (1): 1–30. JSTOR 23145818.
  29. ^ Oulton, Randal (9 September 2005). "Bermuda Onions". cooksinfo.com. Archived from the original on 11 February 2021. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
  30. ^ a b c Mower, Chris (30 March 2009). "The Difference between Yellow, White, and Red Onions". The Cooking Dish. Archived from the original on 1 May 2013. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  31. ^ Thompson, Sylvia (1995). The Kitchen Garden. Bantam Books. p. 143.
  32. ^ Ministry of Agriculture; Fisheries and Food (1968). Home Preservation of Fruit and Vegetables. HMSO. p. 107.
  33. ^ "Traditional English Pub Style Ploughman's Lunch". Food.com. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
  34. ^ "Onion". GoodFood. BBC. Archived from the original on 30 May 2013. Retrieved 2 April 2013.
  35. ^ Dillon, Sheila (2024). "From balti to bhuna: the ultimate guide to curry". BBC Radio 4. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  36. ^ Engineers, N.B.C. (2015). The Complete Book on Onion & Garlic Cultivation with Processing (Production of Onion Paste, Flakes, Powder & Garlic Paste, Powder, Flakes, Oil). Asia Pacific Business Press. pp. 169–175. ISBN 978-81-7833-159-1.
  37. ^ Suslov, D; Verbelen, J. P.; Vissenberg, K. (2009). "Onion epidermis as a new model to study the control of growth anisotropy in higher plants". Journal of Experimental Botany. 60 (14): 4175–4187. doi:10.1093/jxb/erp251. PMID 19684107.
  38. ^ Xu, K; Huang, X.; Wu, M.; Wang, Y; Chang, Y; et al. (2014). "A rapid, highly efficient and economical method of Agrobacterium-mediated in planta transient transformation in living onion epidermis". PLOS ONE. 9 (1): e83556. Bibcode:2014PLoSO...983556X. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0083556. PMC 3885512. PMID 24416168.
  39. ^ Anne McCabe; Mick O'Donnell; Rachel Whittaker (19 July 2007). Advances in Language and Education. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 35. ISBN 978-1-4411-0458-8. Archived from the original on 26 September 2015. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
  40. ^ "Onion Skin Dye (Yellow and Purple)". All Natural Dyeing. Archived from the original on 6 August 2020. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
  41. ^ United States Food and Drug Administration (2024). "Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels". FDA. Archived from the original on 27 March 2024. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
  42. ^ National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Health and Medicine Division; Food and Nutrition Board; Committee to Review the Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium (2019). Oria, Maria; Harrison, Meghan; Stallings, Virginia A. (eds.). Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium. The National Academies Collection: Reports funded by National Institutes of Health. Washington, DC: National Academies Press (US). ISBN 978-0-309-48834-1. PMID 30844154. Archived from the original on 9 May 2024. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  43. ^ a b Slimestad, R.; Fossen, T.; Vågen, I. M. (2007). "Onions: A source of unique dietary flavonoids". Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 55 (25): 10067–10080. doi:10.1021/jf0712503. PMID 17997520.
  44. ^ Lukes, T. M. (1 November 1986). "Factors Governing the Greening of Garlic Puree". Journal of Food Science. 51 (6): 1577. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2621.1986.tb13869.x.
  45. ^ Lee, Eun Jin; Rezenom, Yohannes H.; Russell, David H.; Patil, Bhimanagouda S.; Yoo, Kil Sun (1 April 2012). "Elucidation of chemical structures of pink-red pigments responsible for 'pinking' in macerated onion (Allium cepa L.) using HPLC–DAD and tandem mass spectrometry". Food Chemistry. 131 (3): 852–861. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2011.09.059.
  46. ^ Olsson, M.E.; Gustavsson, K.E. & Vågen, I.M. (2010). "Quercetin and isorhamnetin in sweet and red cultivars of onion (Allium cepa L.) at harvest, after field curing, heat treatment, and storage". Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 58 (4): 2323–2330. doi:10.1021/jf9027014. PMID 20099844.
  47. ^ Cantisani, C.; Visconti, B.; Paolino, G.; Frascani, F.; Tofani, S.; Fazia, G.; Calvieri, S. (2014). "Unusual food allergy: Alioidea allergic reactions overview". Recent Patents on Inflammation & Allergy Drug Discovery. 8 (3): 178–84. doi:10.2174/1872213X08666141107170159. PMID 25381903.
  48. ^ Arochena, L.; Gámez, C.; del Pozo, V.; Fernández-Nieto, M. (2012). "Cutaneous allergy at the supermarket". Journal of Investigational Allergology and Clinical Immunology. 22 (6): 441–442. PMID 23101191.
  49. ^ Scott, Thomas. "What is the chemical process that causes my eyes to tear when I peel an onion!". Ask the Experts: Chemistry. Scientific American. Archived from the original on 22 April 2022. Retrieved 28 April 2007.
  50. ^ a b "FAQ". National Onion Association. Archived from the original on 18 March 2011. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  51. ^ "Tearless Onion Created in Lab Using Gene Silencing". ScienceDaily. 5 February 2008. Archived from the original on 24 November 2016. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
  52. ^ Kim, Ha-Yeon; Jackson, Daniel; Adhikari, Koushik; Riner, Cliff; Sanchez-Brambila, Gabriela (1 October 2017). "Relationship Between Consumer Acceptability and Pungency-Related Flavor Compounds of Vidalia Onions". Journal of Food Science. 82 (10): 2396–2402. doi:10.1111/1750-3841.13915. PMID 28898424.
  53. ^ Eady, Colin C.; Kamoi, Takahiro; Kato, Masahiro; Porter, Noel G.; Davis, Sheree; Shaw, Martin; Kamoi, Akiko; Imai, Shinsuke (1 August 2008). "Silencing Onion Lachrymatory Factor Synthase Causes a Significant Change in the Sulfur Secondary Metabolite Profile". Plant Physiology. 147 (4): 2096–2106. doi:10.1104/pp.108.123273. PMC 2492635. PMID 18583530.
  54. ^ Joyce, Nigel I.; Eady, Colin C.; Silcock, Patrick; Perry, Nigel B.; van Klink, John W. (January 2013). "Fast Phenotyping of LFS-Silenced (Tearless) Onions by Desorption Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry (DESI-MS)". Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 61 (7): 1449–1456. doi:10.1021/jf304444s. PMID 23350988.
  55. ^ Tewari, Gyanendra M.; Bandyopadhyay, Chiranjib. (1 July 1975). "Quantitative evaluation of lachrymatory factor in onion by thin-layer chromatography". Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 23 (4): 645–647. doi:10.1021/jf60200a0441 (inactive 1 November 2024).{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of November 2024 (link)
  56. ^ Schmidt, Norman E.; Santiago, Leanne M.; Eason, H. Donald; Dafford, Kurtus A.; Grooms, Chris A.; Link, Tammy E.; Manning, Dana T.; Cooper, Sylina D.; Keith, R. Chad (1 January 1996). "Rapid Extraction Method of Quantitating the Lachrymatory Factor of Onion Using Gas Chromatography". Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 44 (9): 2690–2693. doi:10.1021/jf950686s.
  57. ^ a b Danovich, Tove (8 February 2018). "Stop Crying! Tear-Free Onions Are Here". NPR. Archived from the original on 17 April 2018. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
  58. ^ Van Hare, Holly (19 December 2017). "Onions that don't make you cry are finally here". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 13 April 2018. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
  59. ^ Klein, Joanna (5 September 2017). "Why Onions Make You Cry". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 17 April 2018. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
  60. ^ Higashihara, Hisayo; Yokoi, Norihiko; Aoyagi, Morihiro; Tsuge, Nobuaki; Imai, Shinsuke; Kinoshita, Shigeru (2010). "Using synthesized onion lachrymatory factor to measure age-related decreases in reflex-tear secretion and ocular-surface sensation". Japanese Journal of Ophthalmology. 54 (3): 215–220. doi:10.1007/s10384-009-0786-0. PMID 20577855. S2CID 23549173.
  61. ^ US patent 9482496B1, James Anthony Rocchi, Thomas John Stewart & Thomas John Stewart, "Wall-mounted nonlethal device for defending against intruders", published 2015-06-01, issued 2016-11-01, assigned to Fighting Chance Systems Inc  Archived 18 March 2021 at the Wayback Machine
  62. ^ US patent 9890561B2, Yves Perrenoud, Daniel Idzkowski & Daniel Idzkowski, "Pressurized chemical theft deterrent device", published 2017-03-03, issued 2018-02-13, assigned to Skunklock Inc  Archived 13 January 2020 at the Wayback Machine
  63. ^ Cope, R.B.; Monteiro, L.N.; Rocha, N.S. (August 2005). "Allium species poisoning in dogs and cats" (PDF). Veterinary Medicine. 100 (8): 562–566. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  64. ^ Salgado, B.S. (2011). "Allium species poisoning in dogs and cats". Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins Including Tropical Diseases. 17 (1): 4–11. doi:10.1590/S1678-91992011000100002. hdl:11449/12942.
  65. ^ Boyhan, George E.; Kelley, W. Terry, eds. (2007). "2007 Onion Production Guide". Production Guides. University of Georgia: College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Archived from the original on 11 October 2013. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  66. ^ Savonen, Carol (13 July 2006). "Onion bulb formation is strongly linked with day length". Oregon State University Extension Service. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  67. ^ a b c "Onions: Planting, Growing and Harvesting Onion Plants". The Old Farmer's Almanac. Archived from the original on 5 November 2012. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
  68. ^ Rhoades, Jackie (17 August 2010). "What is Onion Bolting and how to Keep an Onion from Bolting". Gardening Know How. Archived from the original on 1 May 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
  69. ^ "Onion production". USDA: Agricultural Research Service. 23 February 2011. Archived from the original on 11 April 2014. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
  70. ^ "Onion". Plants for a Future. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
  71. ^ Hessayon, D.G. (1978). Be your own Vegetable Doctor. Pan Britannica Industries. pp. 22–23. ISBN 978-0-903505-08-6.
  72. ^ Landry, Jean-François (2007). "Taxonomic review of the leek moth genus Acrolepiopsis (Lepidoptera: Acrolepiidae) in North America". The Canadian Entomologist. 139 (3): 319–353. doi:10.4039/n06-098. S2CID 86748199.
  73. ^ "Delia antiqua (Meigen): Onion Fly". Interactive Agricultural Ecological Atlas of Russia and Neighboring Countries. Archived from the original on 14 May 2013. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  74. ^ "Onion Eelworm (Ditylenchus dipsaci)". GardenAction. 2011. Archived from the original on 3 February 2013. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  75. ^ "Onion white rot". RHS Gardening. Royal Horticultural Society. Archived from the original on 4 August 2018. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  76. ^ "Onion neck rot". RHS Gardening. Royal Horticultural Society. Archived from the original on 4 August 2018. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  77. ^ European Commission (20 July 2018). "Final Review report for the basic substance Onion Oil finalised in the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed at its meeting on 20 July 2018 in view of the approval of onion oil as basic substance in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 November 2021. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  78. ^ a b "Production of onions and shallots (green) in 2022: Crops/World Regions/Production Quantity/Year from pick lists". United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, Statistics Division (FAOSTAT). 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  79. ^ Ray, Ramesh C. (2024). Roots, Tubers, and Bulb Crop Wastes: Management by Biorefinery Approaches. Springer Nature. ISBN 978-981-99-8266-0.
  80. ^ Ochar, Kingsley; Kim, Seong-Hoon (18 September 2023). "Conservation and Global Distribution of Onion (Allium cepa L.) Germplasm for Agricultural Sustainability". Plants. 12 (18): 3294. doi:10.3390/plants12183294. PMC 10535454. PMID 37765458.
  81. ^ Jauron, Richard (27 July 2009). "Harvesting and storing onions". Iowa State University Extension. Archived from the original on 18 May 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  82. ^ Brewster, James L. (1994). Onions and other vegetable Alliums (1st ed.). Wallingford, UK: CAB International. p. 5. ISBN 978-0-85198-753-8.
  83. ^ "I'Itoi Onion". Ark of Taste. Slow Food USA. 2010. Archived from the original on 23 August 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  84. ^ Friesen, N. & M. Klaas (1998). "Origin of some vegetatively propagated Allium crops studied with RAPD and GISH". Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution. 45 (6): 511–523. doi:10.1023/A:1008647700251. S2CID 26205471.
  85. ^ "Allium × proliferum". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 21 February 2011.
  86. ^ a b Fritsch 2002, p. 19.
  87. ^ Brewster, James L. (1994). Onions and other vegetable Alliums (1st ed.). Wallingford, UK: CAB International. p. 15. ISBN 978-0-85198-753-8.
  88. ^ Friesen, N.; Klaas, M. (1998). "Origin of some vegetatively propagated Allium crops studied with RAPD and GISH". Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution. 45 (6): 511–523. doi:10.1023/A:1008647700251. S2CID 26205471.
  89. ^ Brewster, James L. (1994). Onions and other vegetable alliums (1st ed.). Wallingford, UK: CAB International. p. 3. ISBN 978-0-85198-753-8.
  90. ^ Cavell, Megan (26 June 2014). "Exeter Riddle 25". University of Birmingham. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  91. ^ Homer, Odyssey 19, lines 232-234.
  92. ^ a b Griffith, R. Drew (2015). "His tunic was like an onion or the sun (Odyssey 19, 232-234)". Quaderni Urbinati di Cultura Classica. 109 (1). JSTOR 24645248.
  93. ^ "The history of the Johnnies of Roscoff". Brittany Ferries. Archived from the original on 21 September 2022. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  94. ^ Kaur, Harpreet (29 August 2015). "Online onion humour brings tears of joy on Raksha Bandhan". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 14 October 2024.

Sources

Further reading

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Onion&oldid=1258432118"