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| onion | |
|---|---|
| Name | Allium cepa |
| Regnum | Plantae |
| Unranked divisio | Angiosperms |
| Unranked classis | Monocots |
| Ordo | Asparagales |
| Familia | Amaryllidaceae |
| Subfamilia | Allioideae |
| Genus | Allium |
| Species | A. cepa |
| Binomial | Allium cepa |
onion
Onion is a bulbous plant cultivated worldwide for its edible bulb and culinary uses. It has played roles in agriculture, trade, cuisine, and medicine across regions such as Mesopotamia, Ancient Rome, China, and Mesoamerica through colonial and modern trade networks involving Hanseatic League, Dutch East India Company, and British Empire. Cultivated varieties have been developed by breeders associated with institutions like USDA research stations, Rothamsted Research, and university extension programs in Iowa State University and Wageningen University & Research.
The scientific name Allium cepa derives from the classical Latin used by writers such as Pliny the Elder and was standardized in binomial nomenclature by Carl Linnaeus in Species Plantarum. Taxonomic treatments have been revised in floras such as the Flora Europaea and monographs by botanists at institutions like the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the Missouri Botanical Garden. The genus Allium includes related species studied by researchers at Kew and described in works citing specimens from herbaria such as the Herbarium of the Natural History Museum, London and the New York Botanical Garden.
Onion is a biennial in cultivation often grown as an annual; morphological descriptions appear in manuals from Royal Horticultural Society and seed companies like Johnny's Selected Seeds and Thompson & Morgan. Typical bulbs have concentric fleshy scales, a basal plate, and a dried leaf sheath; cultivar groups include long-day, short-day, and day-neutral types developed for latitudes by breeders at University of Georgia and University of California, Davis. Commercial and heirloom varieties—such as Vidalia, Wethersfield Red, Red Baron, and Egyptian Onion landraces—are documented in germplasm collections at USDA ARS and CIP (International Potato Center) archives. Botanical descriptions are referenced in floristic treatments like The Jepson Manual and regional guides from Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew.
Major producing countries include China, India, United States, Turkey, and Russia as reported by agricultural statistics compiled by FAO. Production systems range from smallholder plots in Punjab (India) and Andhra Pradesh to industrial farms in California and Washington (state), often using inputs researched at CIMMYT-related agronomy programs and extension services from University of Florida and Cornell University. Practices include seedbed preparation, transplanting, fertilization regimes developed through trials at IARI (Indian Agricultural Research Institute), irrigation management used in Israel's drip systems, and mechanized harvesting designed by agricultural engineering groups at Iowa State University. Postharvest handling and supply chains involve cold storage facilities modeled after systems in Netherlands logistics and quality standards influenced by regulations from bodies like Codex Alimentarius.
Onions feature in cuisines linked to cultural centers such as French cuisine, Indian cuisine, Mexican cuisine, Chinese cuisine, and Middle Eastern cuisine, forming the aromatic base in recipes found in cookbooks by chefs like Escoffier and appearing in dishes associated with festivals such as Thanksgiving (United States) and Diwali. Preparations include raw salads, caramelizing methods taught in culinary schools like Le Cordon Bleu, pickling traditions in Korea and Japan, and fermentation practices akin to those in Sauerkraut production. Nutritional databases maintained by USDA and studies from institutions like Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health report onions as sources of vitamin C, dietary fiber, folate, and trace minerals; caloric and macronutrient profiles are used in dietary guidelines from agencies such as the World Health Organization.
Phytochemical research from universities including University of Oxford and University of California, Berkeley identifies sulfur-containing compounds (thiosulfinates), flavonoids (quercetin), and organosulfur compounds implicated in bioactivity examined in journals published by Nature Publishing Group and Elsevier. Epidemiological and clinical studies from centers like Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins University have investigated associations between allium vegetable intake and outcomes such as cardiovascular risk and certain cancers, though systematic reviews from organizations like Cochrane note heterogeneity in evidence. Biochemical pathways involving lachrymatory factor synthase have been characterized by researchers at Max Planck Society and described in molecular biology texts used at MIT.
Crop protection literature from CABI and extension services at University of Minnesota documents pests including onion thrips, leek moth, and nematodes, and diseases such as downy mildew, purple blotch, and Fusarium basal rot; integrated pest management strategies reference research from IRRI and CIMMYT collaborations. Storage physiology and postharvest disease control developed by scientists at Universidad de Wageningen and North Dakota State University address curing, curing chambers used in Netherlands cold stores, controlled-atmosphere storage trials, and quarantine measures aligned with IPPC standards.
Onions appear in iconography and texts from ancient civilizations including Ancient Egypt, where they were found in tombs of figures like Tutankhamun, and in medical writings such as those by Hippocrates and Galen. Trade in bulb crops influenced medieval markets connected to Venice and the Hanseatic League, while modern cultural references include festivals like the Gilroy Garlic Festival and regional protected status systems such as Protected Geographical Indication applied to varieties like Vidalia. Literary and artistic depictions occur in works by authors like Charles Dickens and painters associated with movements preserved in museums such as the Louvre and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Category:Allium