Trait-Specific Assessment and Classification of Kharif Onion (Allium cepa L.) Varieties for Enhanced Bulb Yield and Quality

Trait-Specific Assessment and Classification of Kharif Onion (Allium cepa L.) 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Varieties for Enhanced Bulb Yield and Quality Amar Jeet Gupta, Supriya Kaldate, Sairam Volaguthala, Kalyani Gorrepati, and 2 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7103859/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Kharif onion plays a critical role in stabilizing onion supply and prices in India during the lean period between rabi and late kharif harvests. However, its cultivation is constrained by variable monsoon conditions, waterlogging stress and limited varietal adaptation. This study evaluated nine kharif adapted onion genotypes across two seasons (2023–2024) at ICAR-DOGR, Pune, assessing fifteen agro-morphological and nine biochemical traits. Combined ANOVA showed significant effects of genotype, year and their interaction for most traits. BDR, Bhima Super and B-780 recorded the highest yields (marketable: 29.99–30.84 t/ha; total: 33.30-35.88 t/ha) with larger bulb sizes, while Bhima Shweta and Bhima Red matured early but yielded less. Bhima Raj and BDR showed the highest phenolic content and antioxidant activity; B-780 and Bhima Shubhra had the highest sugar contents. Strong positive correlations were observed between total yield, marketable yield and average bulb weight (r = 0.78–0.95) and between total phenols and antioxidant activity (r = 0.87). Cluster and PCA analyses grouped genotypes into three distinct clusters based on yield and quality traits. These findings identify genotypes combining both high yield and enhanced biochemical quality, offering valuable parents for kharif onion breeding aimed at improving bulb yield, storability and health-promoting attributes. Biological sciences/Biochemistry Biological sciences/Biotechnology Biological sciences/Physiology Biological sciences/Plant sciences Onion Kharif Biochemical components Correlation Hierarchical clustering Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Introduction Onion ( Allium cepa L.), a significant bulbous crop of the family Alliaceae, holds immense economic and nutritional importance globally. In India, it is an essential component of every kitchen, valued both as a vegetable and a condiment. It is used fresh for salad and processed for pickles, chutneys, sauces and dehydrated powder for seasoning [ 1 , 2 ]. Onions offer a range of health benefits due to their rich content of antioxidants, flavonoids and fiber. They support heart health by potentially lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ], exhibit anti-inflammatory [ 7 , 8 ] and anticancer properties [ 9 , 10 , 11 ], boost immunity [ 12 ] and helps to regulate blood sugar levels [ 13 ]. The dietary fiber in onions supports gut health by enhancing the growth of beneficial gut microbiota and improving bowel motility, which in turn may benefit skin and hair health [ 10 , 14 ]. Indian onions are renowned for their characteristic spiciness and pungency. Owing to staggered sowing across different seasons kharif , late kharif , and rabi , they are available year-round, ensuring a consistent supply to both domestic and international markets [ 15 ]. India has produced over 30.21 million tons of onion from an area of 1.74 million hectares during 2023 [ 16 ]. The major onion producing states in India are Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Bihar, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, West Bengal, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh. These states account for almost 90% of the total onion production of the country. Maharashtra ranks first in onion production of 13 million tons with a share of 43.03% [ 17 ]. The rabi season accounts for nearly 60% of India’s total onion production, while kharif and late kharif crops contribute approximately 20% each [ 18 ]. The kharif onion crop plays a critical role in stabilizing prices and fulfilling domestic demand, particularly during the lean period between August and September when the rabi onion stocks begin to deplete. Onions grown in the rabi season are harvested in April-May and are typically stored across the nation [ 19 , 20 ]. However, by the time the rabi onion stocks run out, usually by August or September, the market faces a severe shortage, causing prices to rise sharply [ 21 ]. During this period, kharif onions, harvested from October to December, become essential for bridging the supply gap and keeping prices under control. They tend to command higher prices compared to rabi onions due to their scarcity, yet they help in meeting the demand for fresh onions. This makes kharif onion cultivation a strategically important crop for ensuring price stability in the domestic market from October to January. Despite their importance, kharif onion cultivation is limited due to challenges posed by adverse weather conditions, particularly excessive rainfall and waterlogging, which significantly affect crop growth and yield [ 22 , 23 , 24 ]. The vulnerability of onions to waterlogging, owing to their shallow root systems, makes them susceptible to stress during heavy rains, leading to yield reductions of up to 34% in some cases [ 25 , 26 ]. These climatic challenges further underscore the need for greater focus on kharif onion production to secure a steady supply during this critical period. Kharif onion cultivation is limited to a few states and should be expanded to other regions, considering its vital role in price stabilization and supply during lean periods [ 27 ]. While numerous varieties are available for the rabi season, only a few are suited for kharif cultivation in India [ 28 ]. Therefore, varieties recommended for kharif season have been evaluated for their performance for yield and other horticultural traits including some key biochemical properties during kharif season. The present study aids in choosing the genotypes based on their performance over two years along with their health profiles. Results Variability assessment of yield and contributing traits The boxplot in Fig. 1 illustrates the distribution of 15 agro-morphological traits in nine kharif onion genotypes evaluated over two consecutive years, 2023 and 2024. Each trait is summarized using the interquartile range, median and potential outliers, offering insights into variability and trends across years. The boxplot revealed that traits such as bulb firmness (BF), days to harvesting (DTH), equatorial diameter (ED), leaf diameter (LD), plant height (PH), pseudostem diameter (PSD), pseudostem length (PSL) and bulb ring thickness (RT) showed an increase in 2024, indicating potential improvements in plant structure and maturity. In contrast, average bulb weight (ABW), bulb centerness (BC), marketable yield (MY), and total yield (TY) showed a decrease in 2024, with TY and MY also displaying greater variability and outliers, possibly reflecting environmental influences or genotypic differences. Traits like number of leaves (NOL), neck thickness (NT) and polar diameter (PD) remained relatively stable across years (Supplementary file 1). Combined analysis of variance for pooled means across two years for various morphological and yield-related traits is given in Table 2 . The analysis reveals that the year effect was highly significant for all traits measured, including plant height (PH), number of leaves (NOL), pseudostem length (PSL), pseudostem diameter (PSD), leaf diameter (LD), days to harvest (DTH), polar diameter (PD), equatorial diameter (ED), neck thickness (NT), bulb centerness (BC), bulb firmness (BF), ring thickness (RT), marketable yield (MY), total yield (TY) and average bulb weight (ABW). This indicates considerable environmental influence across the years on these traits. The treatment effect, representing different genotypes showed significant differences for NT, BC, MY and RT. The interaction between year and treatment (Y×T) was significant for several traits including NOL, PSL, PSD, LD, DTH, PD, ED, NT, BC, BF, TY and ABW, indicating that the response of treatments varied across years for these traits. Pooled mean performance of nine onion genotypes evaluated over two years for a range of agro-morphological traits is summarized in Table 3 . Plant height varied slightly among genotypes, with BDR (54.36 cm) and B-780 (54.34 cm) showing the tallest plants, although differences were statistically non-significant. The number of leaves showed significant variation, with BDR and Bhima Red producing the highest leaf count (10.40), significantly outperforming ADR (8.63), which had the lowest. For pseudo stem length, ADR had the highest value (5.41 cm), significantly greater than others, while most other genotypes ranged between 4.46 and 4.96 cm. In terms of pseudo stem diameter, B-780 (13.01 mm) recorded the highest value, significantly exceeding ADR (10.31 mm), which had the lowest. Leaf diameter was also significantly different among genotypes, with Bhima Safed (12.04 mm) producing the widest leaves and ADR (10.36 mm) the narrowest. Days to harvest ranged significantly from 95.33 days (Bhima Shweta) to 102.33 days, indicating a spread in maturity periods. Polar diameter was highest in ADR (4.64 cm), followed closely by B-780 (4.37 cm), with Bhima Safed showing the lowest value (3.91 cm). Equatorial diameter also showed significant differences, with ADR, B-780 and BDR having the largest diameters (around 5.1–5.3 cm), while Bhima Super and Bhima Safed had the smallest. Neck thickness was thickest in Bhima Safed (0.69 cm), significantly more than B-780 and Bhima Red (0.56 cm). For bulb centerness B-780, Bhima Red, Bhima Raj, and Bhima Safed had lower values, indicating superiority of them for single centerness. Bulb firmness ranged from 90.01 to 131.09 lbf, with B-780 showing significantly higher firmness, while Bhima Red and Bhima Safed were among the lowest. Table 2 Combined Analysis of variance for pooled means from two years Source of variation DF PH (cm) NOL (nos.) PSL (cm) PSD (mm) LD (mm) DTH (days) PD (cm) ED (cm) NT (cm) BC (nos.) BF (lbf) RT (mm) MY (t/ha) TY (t/ha) ABW (g) Year 1 84.54* 4.39* 15.87* 58.05* 28.48* 2660.01* 1.33* 0.36* 0.18* 0.28* 4,057.82* 7.93* 143.79* 414.25* 4191.35* Rep within year 4 10.49 0.31 0.20 0.57 0.32 10.09 0.03 0.00 0.00 0.00 68.14 0.07 9.96 40.20 25.12 Treatment 8 3.94 1.78 0.50 3.65 2.48 28.66 0.31 0.45 0.01 0.16* 941.76* 0.07 120.05* 66.29 109.73 Year ×Treatment 8 4.70 1.07* 0.67* 5.03* 3.22* 10.85* 0.16* 0.70* 0.06* 0.14* 584.88* 0.18* 25.38 50.61* 63.08 Pooled Error 32 9.50 0.45 0.08 0.45 0.47 3.13 0.04 0.03 0.00 0.02 137.95 0.05 20.76 21.08 36.29 Total 53 CD (Y×T) 6.8 1.5 0.67 1.49 1.50 3.95 0.43 0.39 0.12 0.32 26.23 0.52 10.17 10.25 13.45 Significance at α 0.05 (PH: Plant height, NOL: Number of leaves, PSL: Pseudostem length, PSD: Pseudostem diameter, LD: Leaf diameter, DTH: Days to harvest, PD: Polar diameter, ED: Equatorial diameter, NT: Neck thickness, BC: Bulb centerness, BF: Bulb firmness, RT: Ring thickness, MY: Marketable yield, TY: Total yield, ABW: Average bulb weight) Table 3 Pooled mean performance of onion genotypes for different agro-morphological traits over two years Genotypes PH (cm) NOL (nos.) PSL (cm) PSD (mm) LD (mm) DTH (days) PD (cm) ED (cm) NT (cm) BC (nos.) BF (lbf) RT (mm) MY (t/ha) TY (t/ha) ABW (g) ADR 53.47 8.63 b 5.41 a 10.31 c 10.36 b 102.33 a 4.64 a 5.32 a 0.61 ab 1.72 ab 105.42 bc 2.40 17.82 b 29.13 ab 49.92 b B-780 54.34 9.93 ab 4.61 b 13.01 a 11.22 ab 95.67 b 4.37 ab 5.21 a 0.56 b 1.36 b 131.09 a 2.55 25.63 ab 31.01 ab 57.72 ab BDR 54.36 10.40 a 4.64 b 11.98 ab 11.61 ab 96.17 b 4.24 bc 5.12 a 0.65 ab 1.73 ab 108.64 abc 2.50 30.84 a 35.88 a 63.71 a Bhima Raj 53.35 9.83 ab 4.65 b 11.71 b 10.41 b 98.50 ab 4.04 bc 4.67 bcd 0.66 ab 1.31 ab 101.28 bc 2.40 22.77 ab 28.39 ab 56.19 ab Bhima Red 52.93 10.40 a 4.46 b 12.46 ab 11.55 ab 96.17 b 4.36 ab 5.17 a 0.56 b 1.47 b 90.01 c 2.46 25.33 ab 32.39 ab 60.66 ab Bhima Safed 51.90 10.27 a 4.68 b 12.10 ab 12.04 a 95.83 b 3.91 c 4.63 cd 0.69 a 1.37 a 90.24 c 2.35 19.96 b 26.22 b 55.33 ab Bhima Shubhra 53.39 10.30 a 4.96 ab 12.75 ab 10.47 b 96.50 b 4.15 bc 5.04 abc 0.58 b 1.41 b 103.41 bc 2.68 22.70 ab 28.83 ab 56.10 ab Bhima Shweta 52.43 10.00 ab 4.55 b 12.43 ab 10.46 b 95.33 b 4.01 bc 5.08 ab 0.64 ab 1.29 ab 106.59 bc 2.58 20.10 b 25.83 b 55.48 ab Bhima Super 52.82 10.07 ab 4.55 b 12.17 ab 11.46 ab 97.00 b 4.09 bc 4.60 d 0.59 ab 1.43 ab 115.26 ab 2.59 29.99 a 33.30 ab 62.78 a Mean 53.22 9.98 4.72 12.10 11.06 97.06 4.20 4.98 0.62 1.45 105.77 2.50 23.91 30.11 57.54 CD (0.05) 4.62 0.88 0.42 0.72 0.79 2.40 0.22 0.25 0.07 0.20 14.30 0.29 5.25 5.40 7.47 CV (%) 5.02 5.08 5.17 3.44 4.14 1.43 2.99 2.93 6.13 7.93 7.81 6.60 12.69 10.35 7.50 Significance NS * * * * * * * * * * NS * * * The numbers that followed the same letters in the same column are not significantly different at α 5% level Tukey/HSD test; NS Not significant; * Significant at α 5% Root thickness showed no significant differences among genotypes, ranging from 2.35 to 2.68 mm. Marketable yield was significantly higher in BDR (30.84 t/ha), Bhima Super (29.99 t/ha), and 'B-780' (25.63 t/ha), whereas ADR (17.82 t/ha) had the lowest. Total yield followed a similar pattern, with BDR recording the highest (35.88 t/ha) and Bhima Safed the lowest (26.22 t/ha). Average bulb weight ranged significantly from 49.92 g in ADR to 63.71 g in BDR. Overall, BDR consistently outperformed other genotypes in several key traits including yield, number of leaves, and bulb dimensions, indicating its potential suitability for cultivation and breeding programs. Most genotypes exhibited a semi-erect foliage attitude with medium green leaf colour and the presence of leaf waxiness. ADR and BDR displayed flat globe bulb shapes, whereas all other genotypes had globular bulbs. Pigmentation at the pseudostem varied, with ADR, B-780, BDR, and Bhima Raj showing purplish pigmentation, while Bhima Safed, Bhima Shubhra, and Bhima Shweta exhibited whitish pseudostems. Bulb skin and flesh colours were consistent within colour groups: red-skinned genotypes (ADR, B-780, BDR, Bhima Raj, Bhima Red, and Bhima Super) had reddish flesh, while white-skinned types (Bhima Safed, Shubhra, and Shweta) had whitish flesh. All genotypes exhibited bulb glossiness (Table 4 ). Table 4 Qualitative assessment of foliage and bulb traits in nine kharif onion genotypes Varieties Foliage attitude Leaf Waxiness Leaf colour PPS BC Bulb Shape Bulb Skin BFC BG ADR Semi-erect Present MG Purplish DR Flat globe Smooth Reddish Present B-780 Semi-erect Present MG Purplish MR Globe Smooth Reddish Present BDR Semi-erect Present DG Purplish DR Flat globe Smooth Reddish Present Bhima Raj Semi-erect Present MG Purplish DR Globe Smooth Reddish Present Bhima Red Erect Present MG Reddish LR Globe Smooth Reddish Present Bhima Safed Semi-erect Present MG Whitish W Globe Smooth Whitish Present Bhima Shubhra Semi-erect Present MG Whitish W Globe Smooth Whitish Present Bhima Shweta Erect Present MG Whitish W Globe Smooth Whitish Present Bhima Super Erect Present MG Reddish MR Globe Smooth Reddish Present ( MG: Medium green, DG: Dark green, PPS: Pigmentation at pseudostem, BC: Bulb colour, DR: Dark red, MR: Medium red, LR: Light red, W: White, BFC: Bulb flesh colour, BG: Bulb glossiness) Variability assessment in biochemical traits The boxplot analysis data reveal notable year-wise differences in trait performance (Fig. 2 ). Traits such as pyruvic acid (PA), reducing sugar (RS), total flavonoids (TF) and non-reducing sugar (NRS) showed clear increases in 2024, suggesting enhanced biochemical composition or stress responses. Antioxidant activity (AOA) and moisture content (MC) remained relatively stable across years with minor variability. In contrast, total phenols (TP), total sugars (TS) and total soluble solids (TSS) declined slightly in 2024, indicating possible genotype-environment interactions or reduced accumulation under specific conditions. Pooled analysis of variance revealed significant variation among the varieties for most traits, except for moisture content and total soluble solids, which remained statistically non-significant (Table 5 ). Pyruvic acid (PA), an indicator of pungency, was highest in Bhima Red (6.04 µmol/g) and lowest in Bhima Shubhra (0.98 µmol/g), highlighting distinct differences in flavor intensity. Total sugars were generally high across varieties, with Bhima Shubhra (8.38%) and B-780 (8.32%) leading, while reducing sugars peaked in Bhima Safed (4.80%), contributing to sweetness. Non-reducing sugars were highest in B-780 (5.43%), indicating balanced sugar composition. For antioxidant-related traits, Bhima Raj exhibited the highest total phenols (2.52 mg/g) and antioxidant activity (1.04 µmol/g), suggesting superior nutraceutical value, while BDR recorded the highest flavonoids (2.09 mg/g). In contrast, Bhima Safed and Bhima Shubhra showed lower values for these traits. Moisture content varied slightly, with Bhima Super having the highest (88.31%) and Bhima Raj the lowest (82.03%). TSS ranged from 12.07–13.54%, with no significant differences. Overall, varieties like Bhima Raj and BDR stood out for their biochemical richness, while others like Bhima Shubhra and B-780 excelled in sugar content, offering valuable options for both health-oriented and processing-focused onion breeding programs. Table 5 Pooled mean performance of onion varieties for different biochemical traits over two years Varieties PA (µmol/g) TS (%) RS (%) NRS (%) TP (mg/g) TF (mg/g) AOA (µmol/g) MC (%) TSS (%) ADR 2.18 cd 8.02 a 3.58 b 4.44 abc 1.88 b 1.60 bc 0.90 b 85.84 13.03 B-780 2.78 bc 8.32 a 2.81 b 5.43 a 1.93 ab 1.38 c 0.82 bc 86.81 12.82 BDR 3.44 b 7.33 ab 3.61 b 3.72 bcd 2.15 ab 2.09 a 0.94 ab 86.87 12.37 Bhima Raj 2.59 c 7.92 a 3.26 b 4.66 abc 2.52 a 1.89 ab 1.04 a 82.03 12.07 Bhima Red 6.04 a 7.34 ab 3.41 b 3.93 bcd 1.93 ab 1.50 bc 0.76 cd 86.31 13.54 Bhima Safed 1.38 e 8.30 a 4.80 a 3.51 cd 0.90 d 1.36 c 0.41 e 87.09 13.18 Bhima Shubhra 0.98 e 8.38 a 3.80 ab 4.58 abc 1.23 cd 1.37 c 0.45 e 87.39 12.64 Bhima Shweta 1.64 de 6.29 b 3.55 b 2.74 d 1.57 bc 1.47 bc 0.44 e 85.96 12.44 Bhima Super 2.68 c 7.87 a 3.11 b 4.76 ab 2.08 ab 1.49 bc 0.64 d 88.31 12.67 Mean 2.63 7.75 3.55 4.19 1.80 1.57 0.71 86.29 12.75 CD (0.05) 0.44 0.69 0.62 0.73 0.36 0.28 0.07 4.36 1.02 CV (%) 9.62 5.13 10.13 10.10 11.70 10.28 5.99 2.92 4.61 S * * * * * * * NS NS (PA: Pyruvic acid, TS: Total sugars, RS: Reducing sugars, NRS: Non-reducing sugars, TP: Total phenols, TF: Total Flavonoids, AOA: Antioxidant activity, MC: Moisture content, TSS: Total Soluble Solids) Note: The numbers that followed the same letters in the same column are not significantly different at α 5% level Tukey/HSD test; NS Not significant; * Significant at α 5% Pearson’s Correlation A strong positive correlation was observed between total yield (TY), marketable yield (MY) (r = 0.89) and average bulb weight (ABW, r = 0.78–0.95), suggesting that these traits are tightly linked and collectively contribute to overall productivity. Similarly, non-reducing sugars (NRS) showed high positive correlations with total sugars (TS) (r = 0.74). Total phenols (TP) correlated positively with antioxidant activity (AOA) (r = 0.87) and PA (r = 0.43), highlighting their role in enhancing the nutritional and functional quality of onions. On the other hand, some negative correlations were noted, such as between bulb firmness (BF) and reducing sugars (RS) (r= -70), implying that higher sugars reduces the firmness of bulbs. Additionally, total soluble solids (TSS) negatively correlated with TP (r= -0.43 and total flavonoids (TF, r= -0.56), suggesting a trade-off between sweetness and antioxidant content (Fig. 3 ). Cluster analysis Hierarchical clustering using Ward’s method and Euclidean distance on 24 standardized agro-morphological traits grouped the nine kharif onion varieties into three distinct clusters (Fig. 4 ). The first cluster included ADR as a standalone genotype, indicating its distinctiveness across traits like lower PA and AOA but moderate yields. The second cluster consisted of all white varieties such as Bhima Safed, Bhima Shubhra and Bhima Shweta, which showed closer similarities in traits such as higher moisture content, moderate sugar levels and lower antioxidant activity. The third and largest cluster included all red varieties Bhima Raj, Bhima Dark Red, Bhima Red, B-780 and Bhima Super except ADR, which generally showed higher productivity traits such as average bulb weight, marketable yield and total yield, alongside better phytochemical attributes like pyruvic acid, total phenols and total flavonoids. PCA The PCA biplot provides a visual representation of the variation among the nine onion genotypes based on multiple agro-morphological and biochemical traits (Fig. 5 ). The first two principal components (PC1 and PC2) explain 26.7% and 25.1% of the total variability, respectively, summing up to 51.8%. ADR is clearly separated on the far right of PC1, indicating that it is highly distinct from the other genotypes, especially with higher contributions from traits like PH, PA and AOA. On the opposite side, Bhima Safed and Bhima Shweta are located in the negative PC1 and PC2 quadrants, indicating they are associated with lower trait values and differ significantly from ADR. Bhima Super, Bhima Red, Bhima Dark Red, and B-780 are grouped in the upper-right quadrant, showing strong positive associations with productivity traits like ABW, MY and TY suggesting their superior performance in yield components. Bhima Raj appears isolated in the lower-right quadrant, which might reflect unique trait combinations not strongly aligned with either yield or biochemical traits. Discussion In the context of kharif season cultivation, characterized by high humidity, fluctuating rainfall, and elevated disease pressure the morphological traits of the evaluated onion varieties suggest adaptive suitability to these challenging conditions. The evaluation of agro-morphological traits across two consecutive kharif seasons (2023 and 2024) in nine onion genotypes revealed notable year-to-year variability and genotype-specific responses. The boxplot analysis provided a visual representation of the distribution patterns for 15 traits, while the combined analysis of variance offered statistical validation of the observed trends. A general increase was observed in vegetative and structural traits in 2024, including bulb firmness, days to harvesting, equatorial diameter, leaf diameter, plant height, pseudostem diameter, pseudostem length and bulb ring thickness. These improvements may reflect favorable agro-climatic conditions during the 2024 season or adaptive genotypic responses to environmental cues, potentially enhancing overall plant vigor and maturity characteristics. In contrast, yield-related traits such as average bulb weight, bulb centerness, marketable yield and total yield demonstrated a decline in 2024, accompanied by greater variability and a higher incidence of outliers, particularly for MY and TY. These findings suggest a more pronounced sensitivity of yield components to environmental fluctuations or genotype-specific trade-offs between vegetative growth and reproductive output under kharif conditions. Plant height across genotypes remained relatively uniform and non-significant, with BDR (54.36 cm) and B-780 (54.34 cm) being the tallest. While taller plants may aid in better air circulation and reduced foliar disease incidence during humid kharif conditions, their structural stability under heavy rains could be a concern, as suggested by Salunkhe et al. [ 37 ]. The number of leaves differed significantly, with BDR and Bhima Red (10.40) producing the highest leaf counts. This increased foliage may enhance photosynthetic efficiency, especially under the cloud-prone kharif season, but may also elevate disease risk due to increased canopy density. Pseudo stem length was most notable in ADR (5.41 cm), potentially indicating stronger vertical growth and vegetative vigor, though it’s lower yield suggests poor translocation efficiency. In contrast, pseudostem diameter, which is more relevant for mechanical support and nutrient transport, was highest in B-780 (13.01 mm) and Bhima Shubhra (12.75 mm), reinforcing their structural robustness and potential for better resource uptake under erratic monsoon conditions. Leaf diameter showed significant variation, with Bhima Safed (12.04 mm) producing the broadest leaves, which may enhance light capture but also increase moisture retention if not paired with erect leaf orientation. All varieties exhibited waxy leaf surfaces, serving as a barrier against moisture retention and microbial infections [ 38 , 39 , 40 ]. The dark green foliage of BDR implies higher chlorophyll content and potential stress resilience. Pseudostem pigmentation varies, with purplish tones dominant, but Bhima Safed, Bhima Shubhra and Bhima Shweta showed whitish pigmentation indicative of genetic divergence. Most genotypes displayed semi-erect, waxy foliage an adaptation conducive to rapid rainwater runoff and lower microbial colonization [ 38 , 39 , 40 ]. Bhima Shweta, despite its moderate yield, showed early maturity (95.33 days), which could be advantageous for escaping heavy late-season rains [ 27 , 41 ]. Bulb characteristics were key yield determinants. Bulb color preferences vary: red bulbs (ADR, BDR, Bhima Raj) are favored in fresh markets, while white bulbs (Bhima Safed, Bhima Shubhra, Bhima Shweta) are ideal for processing, though more prone to pest and storage losses [15, 42, 43, 44,]. ADR, B-780 and BDR had the largest polar (4.24–4.64 cm) and equatorial diameters (5.12–5.32 cm), larger equatorial and polar diameters suggest consumer-preferred bulb size and higher volume [ 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 ]. Yet its higher bulb centerness (except B-780) and firmness (105.42 lbf) may compromise market and storage quality. Strong firmness in B-780, Bhima Super indicates better post-harvest performance, while weak firmness in Bhima Safed suggests reduced storability. Higher ring thickness in Bhima Super and Bhima Shweta enhances structural robustness. All varieties exhibit bulb glossiness, a positive trait linked to fresh appearance and resistance to microbial colonization [ 50 ]. Thick necks in Bhima Safed and Bhima Raj necessitate proper post-harvest curing to avoid spoilage, while thin-necked Bhima Red and B-780 offers better storability [ 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 ]. B-780 found superior for bulb firmness (131.09 lbf), a critical post-harvest trait ensuring resilience during storage and transit. Bulb centerness in B-780, Bhima Shweta, Bhima Safed, Bhima Raj and Bhima Super aligns with consumer preference for single-centered bulbs [ 52 , 55 ]. Reddish bulb flesh, seen in most varieties, implies stronger flavor, while whitish flesh (Bhima Safed, B. Shubhra and B. Shweta) denotes milder taste [ 56 ]. Flat root discs (ADR, B-780 and Bhima Dark Red) favor easy harvesting, whereas exerted disc though possibly aiding water uptake may be less suitable for waterlogged soils. Yield variability aligns with earlier findings [ 57 ], where Bhima Dark Red, Bhima Super, B-780 and Bhima Red showed superior productivity. Lower yield in Bhima Safed and ADR reaffirm the trend of lower kharif yields compared to rabi [ 27 , 47 , 58 , 59 ]. BDR combined high average weight (63.71 g) with excellent marketable (30.84 t/ha) and total yield (35.88 t/ha), marking it as a robust performer under kharif season stresses. Yield outcomes clearly showed BDR, Bhima Super and B-780 superior showing their potential for kharif cultivation where environmental instability demands resilient and high-performing varieties, as reported by Khade et al. [ 60 ]. Boxplots illustrating the distribution of nine biochemical traits across nine kharif onion genotypes over two years revealed significant year-to-year variability. Antioxidant activity and total phenols were slightly higher in 2023, suggesting greater oxidative stress response during that season. In contrast, traits such as pyruvic acid, reducing sugars, non-reducing sugars, total flavonoids and total sugars showed elevated median values in 2024, indicating improved sweetness and biochemical richness. Moisture content was more stable and slightly higher in 2024, while total soluble solids were marginally higher in 2023, reflecting better dry matter content. The observed trend indicates the influence of seasonal variation on onion quality traits, which aligns with findings from Kiani et al. [ 61 ] and Loredana et al. [ 62 ]. Red and dark red varieties generally exhibited higher pungency, phenolic and flavonoid content, antioxidant activity contributing to a stronger flavor profile and greater nutraceutical potential [ 63 , 64 ]. In contrast, white-fleshed varieties such as Bhima Safed, Bhima Shubhra, and Bhima Shweta showed lower pungency, which is often associated with reduced levels of sulfur-containing compounds, particularly thiosulfinates and S-alk(en)yl cysteine sulfoxides, which are responsible for the pungency in onions [ 65 , 66 , 67 , 68 ]. White onions generally have less pyruvic acid, a biochemical indicator of pungency, resulting in a milder flavor profile [ 69 ]. These varieties also had lower phenolic content and antioxidant activity but higher non-reducing sugars, resulting in a milder and sweeter taste [ 70 , 71 , 72 ]. The kharif season's environmental conditions, such as higher humidity and rainfall, may have influenced sulfur assimilation and secondary metabolite accumulation, thereby affecting pungency and sugar content across genotypes (Table 5 ). However, a study by Lee et al. [ 73 ] suggests that in soils already sufficient in sulfur, additional sulfur application did not enhance pungency or flavor-related compounds in onion cultivars. The results point to a strong size yield complex, where increased yield is closely associated with greater plant height and bulb weight (Fig. 3 ). This highlights the importance of selecting genotypes with enhanced vegetative and bulb development traits for improving productivity. These findings align partially with previous studies by Lakshmi [ 74 ], Chattopadhyay et al. [ 75 ], and Trivedi et al. [ 76 ], but showed stronger correlations than those studies. They are however, slightly weaker than those reported by Gurjar and Singhania [ 77 ] and Yogita et al. [ 78 ], indicating variation due to genotype and environmental conditions. On the biochemical front the significant association between non-reducing sugars and total sugars reflects their metabolic relationship and suggests that genotypes rich in NRS are likely to have higher overall sugar content, which may influence taste and storage quality. Unlike the findings by Brahimi et al. [ 79 ], who reported stronger flavonoid-AOA correlation, the present study shows total phenols as a better predictor of antioxidant activity, consistent with results reported by Sharma et al. [ 34 ]. This could imply that phenolic content plays a more decisive role than flavonoids in determining the antioxidant potential of kharif -grown onion varieties under the current experimental conditions. On the contrary, negative correlations such as that between bulb firmness and reducing sugars indicate a potential trade-off, where higher sugar accumulation might compromise structural integrity, affecting post-harvest handling and shelf life. Furthermore, the inverse relationships between total soluble solids and both TP and total flavonoids suggest a possible dilution or competition effect, where increasing sweetness may reduce the antioxidant potential [ 34 ]. These antagonistic associations warrant careful balancing in breeding efforts, depending on the target use whether for processing, storage, or health attributes. The formation of three distinct clusters shows the genetic and functional divergence among the genotypes (Fig. 4 ). ADR forming a unique cluster reflects its outlier status, possibly due to its lower pyruvic acid and antioxidant activity, suggesting limited utility in nutraceutical applications but potential niche suitability due to moderate yield performance. The clustering of Bhima Safed, Bhima Shubhra, and Bhima Shweta into a white onion-specific group highlights their homogeneity in moisture content and sugar-related traits, coupled with lower antioxidant properties. This similarity suggests their shared genetic background or breeding origin and points toward their suitability for fresh consumption rather than storage or processing purposes. In contrast, the red varieties grouped in the third cluster demonstrated superior productivity and enhanced phytochemical attributes, indicating their potential for both yield stability and health-promoting qualities. Traits such as higher average bulb weight, marketable yield, total yield and elevated levels of pyruvic acid, total phenols, and flavonoids suggest that these genotypes are more promising for dual-purpose breeding targeting both agronomic performance and nutritional quality. These clustering patterns are consistent with earlier reports suggesting that inter-cluster hybridization can harness greater genetic variability and heterosis [ 75 , 80 , 81 , 82 , 83 ]. Further, trait-based classification provides practical value for breeders aiming at targeted improvements whether for yield, storability, or earliness [ 84 ]. PC1 accounting for 26.7% positively correlated with traits such as pseudostem length (PSL), days to harvesting (DTH), total sugars (TS), equatorial diameter (ED), polar diameter (PD). These traits are generally associated with bulb quality, growth and nutraceutical value, suggesting that varieties located on the positive axis of PC1 exhibit favorable quality traits. Among them, B. Safed showed distinct separation driven by elevated levels of RS, making it a potential donor for enhanced flavor and processing traits. This aligns with reports by Chope and Terry [ 85 ], Kale et al. [ 86 ], Insani et al. [ 87 ] and emphasized the utility of biochemical traits in differentiating onion genotypes for processing and nutraceutical purposes. Conversely, the negative axis of PC1 was dominated by moisture content (MC), number of leaves (NOL), ring thickness (RT) and leaf diameter (LD). B. Safed aligned with these traits and was positioned distinctly on the negative side, indicating its potential utility for fresh market cultivars where juiciness and sweetness are preferred. Varieties with high moisture content tend to have reduced storability but better consumer appeal in the fresh segment [ 88 , 89 ]. PC2, accounting for 25.1% of variability, showed the role of plant height (PH), marketable yield (MY), total yield (TY), bulb firmness (BF), non-reducing sugars (NRS), pyruvic acid (PA), total phenols (TP), total flavonoids (TF) and antioxidant activity (AOA) in discriminating genotypes. Notably, BDR, B. Red, B-780 and B. Super clustered on the upper quadrant of the biplot and were closely associated with robust yield traits and biochemical contents. These traits are essential in developing high-yielding varieties with health-promoting attributes. Previous studies have demonstrated the importance of these traits in enhancing both yield potential and market value of onion cultivars [ 68 , 90 ]. Methods Nine onion genotypes suitable for kharif (Table 1 ) were grown on raised beds of size 6 x 1 m with 15 x 10 cm, row-row and plant-plant spacing in randomized block design with three replications in 2023 and 2024 at experimental farm of ICAR-Directorate of Onion and Garlic Research, Rajgurunagar, Pune (18º 32’ N, 73º 51’ E). Fifteen morphological traits, plant height (cm), number of leaves, pseudostem length (cm), pseudostem diameter (mm), leaf diameter (mm), days to harvest, polar diameter (cm), equatorial diameter (cm), neck thickness (cm), bulb centerness, bulb firmness (lbf), ring thickness (mm), marketable yield (t/ha), total yield (t/ha), average bulb weight (g) as well as nine biochemical traits, moisture content (%), total sugars (%), total phenols (mg/g), antioxidants (µmol/g), pyruvic acid (µmol/g), flavonoids (mg/g), reducing sugar (%), non-reducing sugar (%) and TSS (%) were assessed. Among 15 morphological characteristics, foliage traits, plant height (cm), number of leaves per plant, pseudostem length (cm), pseudostem diameter (cm), leaf diameter (cm), were recorded after two months of transplanting. Bulb traits, days to harvest, polar diameter (cm), equatorial diameter (cm), neck thickness (cm), bulb centerness, bulb firmness (lbf), average bulb weight (g), marketable yield (t/ha) and total yield (t/ha) were recorded by selecting randomly five plants bulbs from each replication after harvesting. Table 1 List of onion varieties used in the study Sr. No. Varieties Source 1 Agrifound Dark Red (ADR) NHRDF, Nashik 2 B-780 MPKV, Rahuri 3 Bhima Dark Red (BDR) ICAR-DOGR, Pune 4 Bhima Raj ICAR-DOGR, Pune 5 Bhima Red ICAR-DOGR, Pune 6 Bhima Safed ICAR-DOGR, Pune 7 Bhima Shubhra ICAR-DOGR, Pune 8 Bhima Shweta ICAR-DOGR, Pune 9 Bhima Super ICAR-DOGR, Pune The pyruvic acid was estimated using 2, 4 di-nitrophenyl hydrazine (DNPH) reagent [ 29 ] with a slight modification to the Schwimmer & Weston [ 30 ] method. Moisture content of onion samples was determined by using hot air oven method. The total soluble solids content in the onion juice was recorded with the help of a hand refractometer and expressed in percent. Total sugar content estimation was carried out using the Anthrone reagent at 630 nm. The onion bulbs were cut longitudinally into two pieces, then sliced and blended in the grinder to make a fine paste. About 0.1 g of the sample was used to calculate the total sugar content in the onion. Each tube containing 10 ml of 2N HCl was incubated in a water bath for 3 hours. After incubation, the samples were neutralized by adding sodium carbonate until the effervescences stopped. The volume of samples was finalized to 50 mL each. Further, about 5 mL of samples were centrifuged and pipetted out 0.5 mL of each sample and an equal amount of distilled water was added. Anthrone reagent was freshly prepared in 95% cold sulphuric acid, and about 4 mL was added in each of the samples and recorded readings using a spectrophotometer at a wavelength of 630 nm. The concentration of sugar present was calculated by plotting a standard graph of glucose. The reducing sugar content was determined according to the Nelson [ 31 ] and Somogyi [ 32 ] method. Total phenols content was estimated by using the Folin-Ciocalteu colorimetric assay described by Singleton et al. [ 33 ] and results were expressed as mg/g. The absorbance of solutions was read at 765 nm using a UV-Visible Spectrophotometer. To analyze total phenols in onion bulbs, 2–5 g of finely ground onion paste was extracted with 10 mL of 80% methanol and incubated overnight at room temperature, followed by centrifugation at 7000 rpm for 10 minutes to collect the supernatant. The extract (200 µL) is mixed with 1 mL of 10% Folin-Ciocalteu reagent, vortexed, then treated with 800 µL of Na 2 CO 3 , incubated in the dark for 2 hours and absorbance was measured at 765 nm using a spectrophotometer. The concentration of phenols was calculated by plotting a standard graph of gallic acid equivalent (GAE). Total flavonoid content (TF) was estimated following the method of Sharma et al.[ 34 ], using quercetin as a standard and expressed as mg quercetin equivalent per gram dry weight (mg QE/g). For analysis, 1 mL of onion extract was mixed with 1 mL distilled water, followed by 300 µL each of 5% NaNO₂ and 10% AlCl₃. After 6 minutes of incubation at room temperature, 2 mL of 1N NaOH and 2.4 mL distilled water were added to make up 7 mL. The mixture was thoroughly mixed, and absorbance was recorded at 510 nm using a spectrophotometer. Quercetin is used as standard and flavonoids content are represented as milligram quercetin equivalent per/gram of sample. Antioxidants activity was measured by FRAP method as given by Benzie and Strain [ 35 ]. FRAP reagent was prepared by mixing sodium acetate (300 mM, pH 3.6), TPTZ (312.34 mg in 100 mL 40 mM HCl), and FeCl₃·6H₂O (324 mg in 100 mL DW) in a 10:1:1 ratio. For the assay, 900 µL of FRAP reagent was mixed with 30 µL of sample extract and 90 µl of distilled water in a 2 mL Eppendorf tube. Samples were incubated at 37°C for 4–5 minutes, and absorbance was measured at 593 nm. Antioxidant activity was calculated by plotting a standard graph of Trolox. Statistical analysis The analysis of variance, Tukey/HSD test and boxplot were performed in R-studio 4.3.1. Agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis was used to determine the differences and similarities among the genotypes, with Euclidean distance as the distance measure and Ward's method as the linkage criterion, which best reflects the differences existing among the genotypes [ 36 ]. The cluster analysis, Pearson correlation and PCA were performed in Python 3.10. Declarations Acknowledgments Authors sincerely acknowledge the financial support received from ICAR, New Delhi, India. Authors Contribution: Author [AJG] contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation and data collection were performed by [AJG] [PT] [SV] and [SK]. The manuscript was prepared by [AJG] [SK] and [SV]. Analysis of data and interpretation was performed by [AJG] and [SK]. Manuscript review, edition and finalization were performed by [AJG], [SK], [PT], [KG] and [VM] and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. Data availability: All data generated or analysed during this study are included in the article and its supplementary information files. Ethics approval and consent to participate: The manuscript was not submitted anywhere else and results were presented without fabrication, falsification, or inappropriate data manipulation. 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Morphological variation and relationship among the onion germplasm for quantitative and qualitative traits at Trans Himalayas, Ladakh, India. Aust J. Crop Sci. 11 , 229–237. https://doi.org/10.3316/INFORMIT.822159667556752 (2017). Singh, S. R. et al. Genetic divergence assessment in European carrot type. Indian J. Hortic. 74 , 551–554 (2017). Dangi, R., Kumar, A. & Khar, A. Genetic variability, heritability, and diversity analysis in short day tropical onion ( Allium cepa ). Indian J. Agric. Sci. 88 , 948–957. https://doi.org/10.5555/20183392760 (2018). Singh, S. R. et al. Assessment of genetic divergence in long day onion ( Allium cepa L.) through principal component and single linkage cluster analysis. J. Hortic. Sci. 15 , 17–26. https://doi.org/10.24154/jhs.v15i1.778 (2020). Patras, A. et al. Application of principal component and hierarchical cluster analysis to classify fruits and vegetables commonly consumed in Ireland based on in-vitro antioxidant activity. J. Food Compos. Anal. 24, 250–256 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfca.2010.09.012 Chope, G. A. & Terry, L. A. Use of canonical variate analysis to differentiate onion cultivars by mineral content as measured by ICP-AES. Food Chem. 115 , 1108–1113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2009.01.017 (2009). Kale, S. M. et al. Genetic variability for horticultural and nutritional traits in onion ( Allium cepa L). EEC 21 , 311–317 (2015). Insani, E. M. et al. Variation for health-enhancing compounds and traits in onion ( Allium cepa L.) germplasm. Food Nutr. Sci. 6 , 577–591. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/fns.2016.77059 (2016). Petropoulos, S. A., Ntatsi, G. & Ferreira, I. C. F. R. Long-term storage of onion and the factors that affect its quality: A critical review. Food Rev. Int. 33 , 62–83. https://doi.org/10.1080/87559129.2015.1137312 (2017). Abasi, Z., Darabi, A. & Shahmansouri, E. Evaluation of short day onion ( Allium cepa L.) genotypes for quantity and quality traits. J. Hortic. Postharvest Res. 5 , 379–390. https://doi.org/10.22077/jhpr.2022.5163.1271 (2022). Prakash, D., Singh, B. N. & Upadhyay, G. Antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities of phenols from onion ( Allium cepa ). Food Chem. 102 , 1389–1393. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2006.06.063 (2007). Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Supplementary Files Supplementaryfile1.docx Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7103859","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":488908389,"identity":"5666be09-2627-4f0d-bec6-3a9a9ef96777","order_by":0,"name":"Amar Jeet Gupta","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA70lEQVRIiWNgGAWjYPACtvr97Q0MzDDuAQLKGRuAWhg38BwgTQsD4waJBIQWvEA+Ivf4gx81fMzmkm8MPxdU2DDwtzcwHi7Ao8XwRl5iY88xNjbL2TnG0jPOpDFInDnAcHgGPi0zcgwbeNjYeBhu5xhI87YdZjAAuvAwDwEtjX/+sUkw3Dxj/JsoLfISOYbNvG1sBgY3eMyIs8WA513ibNk+tgTJnrQya54zaTwSZw424LelPffAxzffjiXwsx/efJunwkaOv7358Ge8thwAyx4DYg4DEIsHGlF4bGkAa6kBYvYHeFWOglEwCkbByAUAQdFLe+jkywAAAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"","institution":"ICAR-Directorate of Onion and Garlic Research (ICAR-DOGR)","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Amar","middleName":"Jeet","lastName":"Gupta","suffix":""},{"id":488908391,"identity":"d451f299-953b-4685-9731-d50d66c7eb57","order_by":1,"name":"Supriya Kaldate","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"ICAR-Directorate of Onion and Garlic Research (ICAR-DOGR)","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Supriya","middleName":"","lastName":"Kaldate","suffix":""},{"id":488908394,"identity":"71ed563b-67a6-418e-9251-7753eea91eb5","order_by":2,"name":"Sairam Volaguthala","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"ICAR-Directorate of Onion and Garlic Research (ICAR-DOGR)","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Sairam","middleName":"","lastName":"Volaguthala","suffix":""},{"id":488908397,"identity":"9e608eb3-928a-4a89-be26-91a98d0a3f03","order_by":3,"name":"Kalyani Gorrepati","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"ICAR-Directorate of Onion and Garlic Research (ICAR-DOGR)","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Kalyani","middleName":"","lastName":"Gorrepati","suffix":""},{"id":488908404,"identity":"3fd8fffa-7397-4589-92eb-39f40482a9d9","order_by":4,"name":"Priya Thigale","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"ICAR-Directorate of Onion and Garlic Research (ICAR-DOGR)","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Priya","middleName":"","lastName":"Thigale","suffix":""},{"id":488908409,"identity":"5d02388a-8d34-40ea-b65d-4833f7b8ca7a","order_by":5,"name":"Vijay Mahajan","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"ICAR-Directorate of Onion and Garlic Research (ICAR-DOGR)","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Vijay","middleName":"","lastName":"Mahajan","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-07-11 18:08:14","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7103859/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7103859/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":87432037,"identity":"adfd4115-156a-4e33-91ce-957ebbbfc7ed","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-07-23 17:45:11","extension":"png","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":22907,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eBoxplots illustrating the distribution of 15 agro-morphological traits evaluated across nine \u003cem\u003ekharif\u003c/em\u003e onion genotypes over two years (\u003cem\u003eEach boxplot summarizes trait variation using the interquartile range (IQR), median and potential outliers, ABW: Avg. bulb weight, BC: Bulb Centerness, BF: Bulb firmness, BRT: Bulb ring thickness, DTH: Days to harvesting, ED: Equatorial diameter, LD: Leaf diameter, MY: Marketable yield, NOL: No. of leaves, NT: Neck thickness, PD: Polar diameter, PH: Plant height, PSD: Pseudostem diameter, PSL: Pseudostem length and TY: Total yield\u003c/em\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7103859/v1/31952050578b8e4bccc61fa0.png"},{"id":87432041,"identity":"3326959e-46e2-42fa-a236-54f1a7210794","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-07-23 17:45:11","extension":"png","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":37770,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eBoxplots illustrating the distribution of 9 biochemical traits evaluated across nine \u003cem\u003ekharif\u003c/em\u003e onion genotypes over two years \u003cem\u003e(AOA: Antioxidant activity, MC: Moisture content, NRS: Non reducing sugars, PA: Pyruvic acids, RS: Reducing sugars, TF: Total flavonoids, TP: Total Phenols, TS: Total sugars, TSS: Total soluble solids)\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage2.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7103859/v1/a44c2cf48d952b074dc45f2f.png"},{"id":87432345,"identity":"9ae52840-56a0-467e-85a1-72a0137655d1","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-07-23 17:53:11","extension":"png","order_by":3,"title":"Figure 3","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":321070,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003ePearson correlation analysis depicting relationship between agro-morphological and biochemical components in onion\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage3.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7103859/v1/a6dc79714e7f97419e113c70.png"},{"id":87432046,"identity":"a7749884-9f8d-4f43-b850-1be91d57f521","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-07-23 17:45:11","extension":"png","order_by":4,"title":"Figure 4","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":21175,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eHierarchical clustering dendrogram of nine \u003cem\u003ekharif\u003c/em\u003e onion varieties based on agro-morphological and biochemical traits using Euclidean distance method\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage4.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7103859/v1/79dc8793a2848176dc8f0874.png"},{"id":87432043,"identity":"7ecd1bcd-1e62-4c7b-846c-dbb7c5eb128d","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-07-23 17:45:11","extension":"png","order_by":5,"title":"Figure 5","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":37053,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003ePCA biplot depicting association between various agro-morphological and biochemical components and genotypes\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage5.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7103859/v1/b2194e1641e322d7fcdc1c64.png"},{"id":101968792,"identity":"51c413ff-01b9-406b-a871-290733c7b579","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-02-05 14:13:53","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1949820,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7103859/v1/4801b92c-0b52-44e1-be36-3c23251f0972.pdf"},{"id":87432343,"identity":"18e23d7c-adf3-4d20-8c8a-baa0240016f3","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-07-23 17:53:11","extension":"docx","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":17734,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Supplementaryfile1.docx","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7103859/v1/920eb615b947e72c33e6dc56.docx"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Trait-Specific Assessment and Classification of Kharif Onion (Allium cepa L.) Varieties for Enhanced Bulb Yield and Quality","fulltext":[{"header":"Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eOnion (\u003cem\u003eAllium cepa\u003c/em\u003e L.), a significant bulbous crop of the family Alliaceae, holds immense economic and nutritional importance globally. In India, it is an essential component of every kitchen, valued both as a vegetable and a condiment. It is used fresh for salad and processed for pickles, chutneys, sauces and dehydrated powder for seasoning [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e]. Onions offer a range of health benefits due to their rich content of antioxidants, flavonoids and fiber. They support heart health by potentially lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e], exhibit anti-inflammatory [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e] and anticancer properties [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e], boost immunity [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e12\u003c/span\u003e] and helps to regulate blood sugar levels [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e]. The dietary fiber in onions supports gut health by enhancing the growth of beneficial gut microbiota and improving bowel motility, which in turn may benefit skin and hair health [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIndian onions are renowned for their characteristic spiciness and pungency. Owing to staggered sowing across different seasons \u003cem\u003ekharif\u003c/em\u003e, late \u003cem\u003ekharif\u003c/em\u003e, and \u003cem\u003erabi\u003c/em\u003e, they are available year-round, ensuring a consistent supply to both domestic and international markets [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e15\u003c/span\u003e]. India has produced over 30.21\u0026nbsp;million tons of onion from an area of 1.74\u0026nbsp;million hectares during 2023 [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e16\u003c/span\u003e]. The major onion producing states in India are Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Bihar, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, West Bengal, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh. These states account for almost 90% of the total onion production of the country. Maharashtra ranks first in onion production of 13\u0026nbsp;million tons with a share of 43.03% [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e17\u003c/span\u003e]. The \u003cem\u003erabi\u003c/em\u003e season accounts for nearly 60% of India’s total onion production, while \u003cem\u003ekharif\u003c/em\u003e and late \u003cem\u003ekharif\u003c/em\u003e crops contribute approximately 20% each [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e18\u003c/span\u003e]. The \u003cem\u003ekharif\u003c/em\u003e onion crop plays a critical role in stabilizing prices and fulfilling domestic demand, particularly during the lean period between August and September when the \u003cem\u003erabi\u003c/em\u003e onion stocks begin to deplete. Onions grown in the \u003cem\u003erabi\u003c/em\u003e season are harvested in April-May and are typically stored across the nation [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e19\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e20\u003c/span\u003e]. However, by the time the \u003cem\u003erabi\u003c/em\u003e onion stocks run out, usually by August or September, the market faces a severe shortage, causing prices to rise sharply [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e21\u003c/span\u003e]. During this period, \u003cem\u003ekharif\u003c/em\u003e onions, harvested from October to December, become essential for bridging the supply gap and keeping prices under control. They tend to command higher prices compared to \u003cem\u003erabi\u003c/em\u003e onions due to their scarcity, yet they help in meeting the demand for fresh onions. This makes \u003cem\u003ekharif\u003c/em\u003e onion cultivation a strategically important crop for ensuring price stability in the domestic market from October to January.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDespite their importance, \u003cem\u003ekharif\u003c/em\u003e onion cultivation is limited due to challenges posed by adverse weather conditions, particularly excessive rainfall and waterlogging, which significantly affect crop growth and yield [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e22\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e23\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e]. The vulnerability of onions to waterlogging, owing to their shallow root systems, makes them susceptible to stress during heavy rains, leading to yield reductions of up to 34% in some cases [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e25\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e26\u003c/span\u003e]. These climatic challenges further underscore the need for greater focus on \u003cem\u003ekharif\u003c/em\u003e onion production to secure a steady supply during this critical period. \u003cem\u003eKharif\u003c/em\u003e onion cultivation is limited to a few states and should be expanded to other regions, considering its vital role in price stabilization and supply during lean periods [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e27\u003c/span\u003e]. While numerous varieties are available for the \u003cem\u003erabi\u003c/em\u003e season, only a few are suited for \u003cem\u003ekharif\u003c/em\u003e cultivation in India [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR28\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e28\u003c/span\u003e]. Therefore, varieties recommended for \u003cem\u003ekharif\u003c/em\u003e season have been evaluated for their performance for yield and other horticultural traits including some key biochemical properties during \u003cem\u003ekharif\u003c/em\u003e season. The present study aids in choosing the genotypes based on their performance over two years along with their health profiles.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Results","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eVariability assessment of yield and contributing traits\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe boxplot in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e illustrates the distribution of 15 agro-morphological traits in nine \u003cem\u003ekharif\u003c/em\u003e onion genotypes evaluated over two consecutive years, 2023 and 2024. Each trait is summarized using the interquartile range, median and potential outliers, offering insights into variability and trends across years. The boxplot revealed that traits such as bulb firmness (BF), days to harvesting (DTH), equatorial diameter (ED), leaf diameter (LD), plant height (PH), pseudostem diameter (PSD), pseudostem length (PSL) and bulb ring thickness (RT) showed an increase in 2024, indicating potential improvements in plant structure and maturity. In contrast, average bulb weight (ABW), bulb centerness (BC), marketable yield (MY), and total yield (TY) showed a decrease in 2024, with TY and MY also displaying greater variability and outliers, possibly reflecting environmental influences or genotypic differences. Traits like number of leaves (NOL), neck thickness (NT) and polar diameter (PD) remained relatively stable across years (Supplementary file 1).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCombined analysis of variance for pooled means across two years for various morphological and yield-related traits is given in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e. The analysis reveals that the year effect was highly significant for all traits measured, including plant height (PH), number of leaves (NOL), pseudostem length (PSL), pseudostem diameter (PSD), leaf diameter (LD), days to harvest (DTH), polar diameter (PD), equatorial diameter (ED), neck thickness (NT), bulb centerness (BC), bulb firmness (BF), ring thickness (RT), marketable yield (MY), total yield (TY) and average bulb weight (ABW). This indicates considerable environmental influence across the years on these traits. The treatment effect, representing different genotypes showed significant differences for NT, BC, MY and RT. The interaction between year and treatment (Y\u0026times;T) was significant for several traits including NOL, PSL, PSD, LD, DTH, PD, ED, NT, BC, BF, TY and ABW, indicating that the response of treatments varied across years for these traits.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePooled mean performance of nine onion genotypes evaluated over two years for a range of agro-morphological traits is summarized in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e. Plant height varied slightly among genotypes, with BDR (54.36 cm) and B-780 (54.34 cm) showing the tallest plants, although differences were statistically non-significant. The number of leaves showed significant variation, with BDR and Bhima Red producing the highest leaf count (10.40), significantly outperforming ADR (8.63), which had the lowest. For pseudo stem length, ADR had the highest value (5.41 cm), significantly greater than others, while most other genotypes ranged between 4.46 and 4.96 cm. In terms of pseudo stem diameter, B-780 (13.01 mm) recorded the highest value, significantly exceeding ADR (10.31 mm), which had the lowest. Leaf diameter was also significantly different among genotypes, with Bhima Safed (12.04 mm) producing the widest leaves and ADR (10.36 mm) the narrowest.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDays to harvest ranged significantly from 95.33 days (Bhima Shweta) to 102.33 days, indicating a spread in maturity periods. Polar diameter was highest in ADR (4.64 cm), followed closely by B-780 (4.37 cm), with Bhima Safed showing the lowest value (3.91 cm). Equatorial diameter also showed significant differences, with ADR, B-780 and BDR having the largest diameters (around 5.1\u0026ndash;5.3 cm), while Bhima Super and Bhima Safed had the smallest. Neck thickness was thickest in Bhima Safed (0.69 cm), significantly more than B-780 and Bhima Red (0.56 cm). For bulb centerness B-780, Bhima Red, Bhima Raj, and Bhima Safed had lower values, indicating superiority of them for single centerness. Bulb firmness ranged from 90.01 to 131.09 lbf, with B-780 showing significantly higher firmness, while Bhima Red and Bhima Safed were among the lowest.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCombined Analysis of variance for pooled means from two years\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"17\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c8\" colnum=\"8\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c9\" colnum=\"9\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c10\" colnum=\"10\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c11\" colnum=\"11\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c12\" colnum=\"12\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c13\" colnum=\"13\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c14\" colnum=\"14\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c15\" colnum=\"15\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c16\" colnum=\"16\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c17\" colnum=\"17\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSource of variation\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDF\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePH (cm)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNOL\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(nos.)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePSL\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(cm)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePSD\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(mm)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eLD\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(mm)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDTH\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(days)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePD\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(cm)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eED\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(cm)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNT\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(cm)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBC\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(nos.)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBF\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(lbf)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRT\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(mm)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMY\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(t/ha)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c16\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTY\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(t/ha)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c17\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eABW\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(g)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eYear\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e1\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e84.54*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.39*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e15.87*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e58.05*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e28.48*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2660.01*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.33*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.36*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.18*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.28*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4,057.82*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7.93*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e143.79*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c16\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e414.25*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c17\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4191.35*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eRep within year\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e4\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e10.49\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.31\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.20\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.57\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.32\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e10.09\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.03\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.00\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.00\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.00\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e68.14\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.07\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9.96\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c16\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e40.20\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c17\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e25.12\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTreatment\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e8\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.94\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.78\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.50\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.65\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.48\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e28.66\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.31\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.45\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.01\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.16*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e941.76*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.07\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e120.05*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c16\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e66.29\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c17\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e109.73\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eYear \u0026times;Treatment\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e8\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.70\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.07*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.67*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5.03*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.22*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e10.85*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.16*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.70*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.06*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.14*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e584.88*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.18*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e25.38\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c16\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e50.61*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c17\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e63.08\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePooled Error\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e32\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9.50\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.45\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.08\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.45\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.47\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.13\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.04\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.03\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.00\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.02\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e137.95\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.05\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e20.76\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c16\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e21.08\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c17\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e36.29\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTotal\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e53\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"15\" nameend=\"c17\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCD (Y\u0026times;T)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e6.8\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e1.5\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.67\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e1.49\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e1.50\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e3.95\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.43\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.39\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.12\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.32\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e26.23\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.52\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e10.17\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c16\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e10.25\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c17\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e13.45\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003ctfoot\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"17\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eSignificance at α 0.05\u003c/em\u003e (PH: Plant height, NOL: Number of leaves, PSL: Pseudostem length, PSD: Pseudostem diameter, LD: Leaf diameter, DTH: Days to harvest, PD: Polar diameter, ED: Equatorial diameter, NT: Neck thickness, BC: Bulb centerness, BF: Bulb firmness, RT: Ring thickness, MY: Marketable yield, TY: Total yield, ABW: Average bulb weight)\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tfoot\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 3\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePooled mean performance of onion genotypes for different agro-morphological traits over two years\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"16\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c8\" colnum=\"8\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c9\" colnum=\"9\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c10\" colnum=\"10\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c11\" colnum=\"11\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c12\" colnum=\"12\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c13\" colnum=\"13\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c14\" colnum=\"14\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c15\" colnum=\"15\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c16\" colnum=\"16\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eGenotypes\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePH (cm)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNOL\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(nos.)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePSL\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(cm)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePSD\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(mm)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eLD\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(mm)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDTH\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(days)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePD\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(cm)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eED\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(cm)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNT\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(cm)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBC\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(nos.)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBF\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(lbf)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRT\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(mm)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMY\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(t/ha)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTY\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(t/ha)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c16\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eABW\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(g)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eADR\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e53.47\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e8.63\u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5.41\u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e10.31\u003csup\u003ec\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e10.36\u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e102.33\u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.64\u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5.32\u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.61\u003csup\u003eab\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.72\u003csup\u003eab\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e105.42\u003csup\u003ebc\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.40\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e17.82\u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e29.13\u003csup\u003eab\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c16\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e49.92\u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eB-780\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e54.34\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9.93\u003csup\u003eab\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.61\u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e13.01\u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e11.22\u003csup\u003eab\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e95.67\u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.37\u003csup\u003eab\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5.21\u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.56\u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.36\u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e131.09\u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.55\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e25.63\u003csup\u003eab\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e31.01\u003csup\u003eab\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c16\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e57.72\u003csup\u003eab\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBDR\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e54.36\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e10.40\u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.64\u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e11.98\u003csup\u003eab\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e11.61\u003csup\u003eab\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e96.17\u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.24\u003csup\u003ebc\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5.12\u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.65\u003csup\u003eab\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.73\u003csup\u003eab\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e108.64\u003csup\u003eabc\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.50\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e30.84\u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e35.88\u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c16\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e63.71\u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBhima Raj\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e53.35\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9.83\u003csup\u003eab\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.65\u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e11.71\u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e10.41\u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e98.50\u003csup\u003eab\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.04\u003csup\u003ebc\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.67\u003csup\u003ebcd\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.66\u003csup\u003eab\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.31\u003csup\u003eab\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e101.28\u003csup\u003ebc\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.40\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e22.77\u003csup\u003eab\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e28.39\u003csup\u003eab\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c16\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e56.19\u003csup\u003eab\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBhima Red\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e52.93\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e10.40\u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.46\u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e12.46\u003csup\u003eab\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e11.55\u003csup\u003eab\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e96.17\u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.36\u003csup\u003eab\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5.17\u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.56\u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.47\u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e90.01\u003csup\u003ec\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.46\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e25.33\u003csup\u003eab\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e32.39\u003csup\u003eab\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" 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colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.91\u003csup\u003ec\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.63\u003csup\u003ecd\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.69\u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.37\u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e90.24\u003csup\u003ec\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.35\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e19.96\u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e26.22\u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" 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colname=\"c16\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e57.54\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCD (0.05)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e4.62\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.88\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.42\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.72\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.79\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e2.40\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.22\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.25\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.07\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.20\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e14.30\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.29\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.25\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.40\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c16\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e7.47\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCV (%)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.02\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.08\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.17\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e3.44\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e4.14\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e1.43\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e2.99\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e2.93\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e6.13\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e7.93\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e7.81\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e6.60\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e12.69\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e10.35\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c16\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e7.50\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSignificance\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c16\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe numbers that followed the same letters in the same column are not significantly different at α 5% level Tukey/HSD test; NS Not significant; * Significant\u003c/em\u003e at α 5%\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRoot thickness showed no significant differences among genotypes, ranging from 2.35 to 2.68 mm. Marketable yield was significantly higher in BDR (30.84 t/ha), Bhima Super (29.99 t/ha), and 'B-780' (25.63 t/ha), whereas ADR (17.82 t/ha) had the lowest. Total yield followed a similar pattern, with BDR recording the highest (35.88 t/ha) and Bhima Safed the lowest (26.22 t/ha). Average bulb weight ranged significantly from 49.92 g in ADR to 63.71 g in BDR. Overall, BDR consistently outperformed other genotypes in several key traits including yield, number of leaves, and bulb dimensions, indicating its potential suitability for cultivation and breeding programs.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMost genotypes exhibited a semi-erect foliage attitude with medium green leaf colour and the presence of leaf waxiness. ADR and BDR displayed flat globe bulb shapes, whereas all other genotypes had globular bulbs. Pigmentation at the pseudostem varied, with ADR, B-780, BDR, and Bhima Raj showing purplish pigmentation, while Bhima Safed, Bhima Shubhra, and Bhima Shweta exhibited whitish pseudostems. Bulb skin and flesh colours were consistent within colour groups: red-skinned genotypes (ADR, B-780, BDR, Bhima Raj, Bhima Red, and Bhima Super) had reddish flesh, while white-skinned types (Bhima Safed, Shubhra, and Shweta) had whitish flesh. All genotypes exhibited bulb glossiness (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab3\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 4\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eQualitative assessment of foliage and bulb traits in nine \u003cem\u003ekharif\u003c/em\u003e onion genotypes\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"10\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c8\" colnum=\"8\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c9\" colnum=\"9\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c10\" colnum=\"10\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVarieties\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFoliage attitude\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eLeaf Waxiness\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eLeaf colour\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePPS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBC\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBulb Shape\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBulb Skin\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBFC\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBG\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eADR\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSemi-erect\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePresent\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMG\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePurplish\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDR\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFlat globe\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSmooth\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eReddish\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePresent\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eB-780\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSemi-erect\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePresent\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMG\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePurplish\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMR\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eGlobe\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSmooth\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eReddish\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePresent\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBDR\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSemi-erect\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePresent\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDG\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePurplish\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDR\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFlat globe\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSmooth\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eReddish\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePresent\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBhima Raj\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSemi-erect\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePresent\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMG\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePurplish\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDR\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eGlobe\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSmooth\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eReddish\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePresent\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBhima Red\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eErect\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePresent\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMG\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eReddish\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eLR\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eGlobe\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSmooth\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eReddish\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePresent\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBhima Safed\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSemi-erect\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePresent\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMG\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhitish\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eW\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eGlobe\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSmooth\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhitish\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePresent\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBhima Shubhra\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSemi-erect\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePresent\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMG\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhitish\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eW\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eGlobe\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSmooth\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhitish\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePresent\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBhima Shweta\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eErect\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePresent\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMG\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhitish\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eW\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eGlobe\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSmooth\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhitish\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePresent\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBhima Super\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eErect\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePresent\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMG\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eReddish\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMR\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eGlobe\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSmooth\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eReddish\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePresent\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003ctfoot\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"10\"\u003e(\u003cem\u003eMG: Medium green, DG: Dark green, PPS: Pigmentation at pseudostem, BC: Bulb colour, DR: Dark red, MR: Medium red, LR: Light red, W: White, BFC: Bulb flesh colour, BG: Bulb glossiness)\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tfoot\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"10\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eVariability assessment in biochemical traits\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe boxplot analysis data reveal notable year-wise differences in trait performance (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e). Traits such as pyruvic acid (PA), reducing sugar (RS), total flavonoids (TF) and non-reducing sugar (NRS) showed clear increases in 2024, suggesting enhanced biochemical composition or stress responses. Antioxidant activity (AOA) and moisture content (MC) remained relatively stable across years with minor variability. In contrast, total phenols (TP), total sugars (TS) and total soluble solids (TSS) declined slightly in 2024, indicating possible genotype-environment interactions or reduced accumulation under specific conditions.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePooled analysis of variance revealed significant variation among the varieties for most traits, except for moisture content and total soluble solids, which remained statistically non-significant (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e). Pyruvic acid (PA), an indicator of pungency, was highest in Bhima Red (6.04 \u0026micro;mol/g) and lowest in Bhima Shubhra (0.98 \u0026micro;mol/g), highlighting distinct differences in flavor intensity. Total sugars were generally high across varieties, with Bhima Shubhra (8.38%) and B-780 (8.32%) leading, while reducing sugars peaked in Bhima Safed (4.80%), contributing to sweetness. Non-reducing sugars were highest in B-780 (5.43%), indicating balanced sugar composition. For antioxidant-related traits, Bhima Raj exhibited the highest total phenols (2.52 mg/g) and antioxidant activity (1.04 \u0026micro;mol/g), suggesting superior nutraceutical value, while BDR recorded the highest flavonoids (2.09 mg/g). In contrast, Bhima Safed and Bhima Shubhra showed lower values for these traits. Moisture content varied slightly, with Bhima Super having the highest (88.31%) and Bhima Raj the lowest (82.03%). TSS ranged from 12.07\u0026ndash;13.54%, with no significant differences. Overall, varieties like Bhima Raj and BDR stood out for their biochemical richness, while others like Bhima Shubhra and B-780 excelled in sugar content, offering valuable options for both health-oriented and processing-focused onion breeding programs.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab4\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 5\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePooled mean performance of onion varieties for different biochemical traits over two years\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"10\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c8\" colnum=\"8\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c9\" colnum=\"9\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c10\" colnum=\"10\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVarieties\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePA (\u0026micro;mol/g)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTS\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(%)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRS\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(%)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNRS\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(%)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTP (mg/g)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTF (mg/g)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAOA\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(\u0026micro;mol/g)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMC (%)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTSS (%)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eADR\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.18\u003csup\u003ecd\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e8.02\u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.58\u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.44\u003csup\u003eabc\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.88\u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.60\u003csup\u003ebc\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.90\u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e85.84\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e13.03\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eB-780\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.78\u003csup\u003ebc\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e8.32\u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.81\u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5.43\u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.93\u003csup\u003eab\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.38\u003csup\u003ec\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.82\u003csup\u003ebc\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e86.81\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e12.82\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBDR\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.44\u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7.33\u003csup\u003eab\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.61\u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.72\u003csup\u003ebcd\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.15\u003csup\u003eab\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.09\u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.94\u003csup\u003eab\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e86.87\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e12.37\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBhima Raj\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.59\u003csup\u003ec\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7.92\u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.26\u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.66\u003csup\u003eabc\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.52\u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.89\u003csup\u003eab\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.04\u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e82.03\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e12.07\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBhima Red\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6.04\u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7.34\u003csup\u003eab\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.41\u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.93\u003csup\u003ebcd\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.93\u003csup\u003eab\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.50\u003csup\u003ebc\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.76\u003csup\u003ecd\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e86.31\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e13.54\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBhima Safed\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.38\u003csup\u003ee\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e8.30\u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.80\u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.51\u003csup\u003ecd\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.90\u003csup\u003ed\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.36\u003csup\u003ec\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.41\u003csup\u003ee\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e87.09\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e13.18\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBhima Shubhra\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.98\u003csup\u003ee\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e8.38\u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.80\u003csup\u003eab\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.58\u003csup\u003eabc\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.23\u003csup\u003ecd\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.37\u003csup\u003ec\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.45\u003csup\u003ee\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e87.39\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e12.64\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBhima Shweta\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.64\u003csup\u003ede\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6.29\u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.55\u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.74\u003csup\u003ed\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.57\u003csup\u003ebc\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.47\u003csup\u003ebc\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.44\u003csup\u003ee\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e85.96\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e12.44\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBhima Super\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.68\u003csup\u003ec\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7.87\u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.11\u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.76\u003csup\u003eab\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.08\u003csup\u003eab\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.49\u003csup\u003ebc\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.64\u003csup\u003ed\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e88.31\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e12.67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMean\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e2.63\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e7.75\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e3.55\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e4.19\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e1.80\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e1.57\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.71\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e86.29\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e12.75\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCD (0.05)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.44\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.69\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.62\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.73\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.36\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.28\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.07\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e4.36\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e1.02\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCV (%)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e9.62\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.13\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e10.13\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e10.10\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e11.70\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e10.28\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.99\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e2.92\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e4.61\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eS\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e*\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e*\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e*\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e*\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e*\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e*\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e*\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eNS\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eNS\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003ctfoot\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"10\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e(PA: Pyruvic acid, TS: Total sugars, RS: Reducing sugars, NRS: Non-reducing sugars, TP: Total phenols, TF: Total Flavonoids, AOA: Antioxidant activity, MC: Moisture content, TSS: Total Soluble Solids)\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"10\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eNote: The numbers that followed the same letters in the same column are not significantly different at α 5% level Tukey/HSD test; NS Not significant; * Significant at α 5%\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tfoot\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"10\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePearson\u0026rsquo;s Correlation\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003cp\u003eA strong positive correlation was observed between total yield (TY), marketable yield (MY) (r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.89) and average bulb weight (ABW, r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.78\u0026ndash;0.95), suggesting that these traits are tightly linked and collectively contribute to overall productivity. Similarly, non-reducing sugars (NRS) showed high positive correlations with total sugars (TS) (r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.74). Total phenols (TP) correlated positively with antioxidant activity (AOA) (r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.87) and PA (r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.43), highlighting their role in enhancing the nutritional and functional quality of onions. On the other hand, some negative correlations were noted, such as between bulb firmness (BF) and reducing sugars (RS) (r= -70), implying that higher sugars reduces the firmness of bulbs. Additionally, total soluble solids (TSS) negatively correlated with TP (r= -0.43 and total flavonoids (TF, r= -0.56), suggesting a trade-off between sweetness and antioxidant content (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCluster analysis\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHierarchical clustering using Ward\u0026rsquo;s method and Euclidean distance on 24 standardized agro-morphological traits grouped the nine \u003cem\u003ekharif\u003c/em\u003e onion varieties into three distinct clusters (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e). The first cluster included ADR as a standalone genotype, indicating its distinctiveness across traits like lower PA and AOA but moderate yields. The second cluster consisted of all white varieties such as Bhima Safed, Bhima Shubhra and Bhima Shweta, which showed closer similarities in traits such as higher moisture content, moderate sugar levels and lower antioxidant activity. The third and largest cluster included all red varieties Bhima Raj, Bhima Dark Red, Bhima Red, B-780 and Bhima Super except ADR, which generally showed higher productivity traits such as average bulb weight, marketable yield and total yield, alongside better phytochemical attributes like pyruvic acid, total phenols and total flavonoids.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePCA\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe PCA biplot provides a visual representation of the variation among the nine onion genotypes based on multiple agro-morphological and biochemical traits (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e). The first two principal components (PC1 and PC2) explain 26.7% and 25.1% of the total variability, respectively, summing up to 51.8%.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eADR is clearly separated on the far right of PC1, indicating that it is highly distinct from the other genotypes, especially with higher contributions from traits like PH, PA and AOA. On the opposite side, Bhima Safed and Bhima Shweta are located in the negative PC1 and PC2 quadrants, indicating they are associated with lower trait values and differ significantly from ADR. Bhima Super, Bhima Red, Bhima Dark Red, and B-780 are grouped in the upper-right quadrant, showing strong positive associations with productivity traits like ABW, MY and TY suggesting their superior performance in yield components. Bhima Raj appears isolated in the lower-right quadrant, which might reflect unique trait combinations not strongly aligned with either yield or biochemical traits.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eIn the context of \u003cem\u003ekharif\u003c/em\u003e season cultivation, characterized by high humidity, fluctuating rainfall, and elevated disease pressure the morphological traits of the evaluated onion varieties suggest adaptive suitability to these challenging conditions. The evaluation of agro-morphological traits across two consecutive \u003cem\u003ekharif\u003c/em\u003e seasons (2023 and 2024) in nine onion genotypes revealed notable year-to-year variability and genotype-specific responses. The boxplot analysis provided a visual representation of the distribution patterns for 15 traits, while the combined analysis of variance offered statistical validation of the observed trends. A general increase was observed in vegetative and structural traits in 2024, including bulb firmness, days to harvesting, equatorial diameter, leaf diameter, plant height, pseudostem diameter, pseudostem length and bulb ring thickness. These improvements may reflect favorable agro-climatic conditions during the 2024 season or adaptive genotypic responses to environmental cues, potentially enhancing overall plant vigor and maturity characteristics. In contrast, yield-related traits such as average bulb weight, bulb centerness, marketable yield and total yield demonstrated a decline in 2024, accompanied by greater variability and a higher incidence of outliers, particularly for MY and TY. These findings suggest a more pronounced sensitivity of yield components to environmental fluctuations or genotype-specific trade-offs between vegetative growth and reproductive output under \u003cem\u003ekharif\u003c/em\u003e conditions.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePlant height across genotypes remained relatively uniform and non-significant, with BDR (54.36 cm) and B-780 (54.34 cm) being the tallest. While taller plants may aid in better air circulation and reduced foliar disease incidence during humid \u003cem\u003ekharif\u003c/em\u003e conditions, their structural stability under heavy rains could be a concern, as suggested by Salunkhe et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR37\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e37\u003c/span\u003e]. The number of leaves differed significantly, with BDR and Bhima Red (10.40) producing the highest leaf counts. This increased foliage may enhance photosynthetic efficiency, especially under the cloud-prone \u003cem\u003ekharif\u003c/em\u003e season, but may also elevate disease risk due to increased canopy density. Pseudo stem length was most notable in ADR (5.41 cm), potentially indicating stronger vertical growth and vegetative vigor, though it’s lower yield suggests poor translocation efficiency. In contrast, pseudostem diameter, which is more relevant for mechanical support and nutrient transport, was highest in B-780 (13.01 mm) and Bhima Shubhra (12.75 mm), reinforcing their structural robustness and potential for better resource uptake under erratic monsoon conditions. Leaf diameter showed significant variation, with Bhima Safed (12.04 mm) producing the broadest leaves, which may enhance light capture but also increase moisture retention if not paired with erect leaf orientation. All varieties exhibited waxy leaf surfaces, serving as a barrier against moisture retention and microbial infections [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e38\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR39\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e39\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR40\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e40\u003c/span\u003e]. The dark green foliage of BDR implies higher chlorophyll content and potential stress resilience. Pseudostem pigmentation varies, with purplish tones dominant, but Bhima Safed, Bhima Shubhra and Bhima Shweta showed whitish pigmentation indicative of genetic divergence. Most genotypes displayed semi-erect, waxy foliage an adaptation conducive to rapid rainwater runoff and lower microbial colonization [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e38\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR39\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e39\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR40\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e40\u003c/span\u003e]. Bhima Shweta, despite its moderate yield, showed early maturity (95.33 days), which could be advantageous for escaping heavy late-season rains [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e27\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR41\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e41\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBulb characteristics were key yield determinants. Bulb color preferences vary: red bulbs (ADR, BDR, Bhima Raj) are favored in fresh markets, while white bulbs (Bhima Safed, Bhima Shubhra, Bhima Shweta) are ideal for processing, though more prone to pest and storage losses [15, 42, 43, 44,]. ADR, B-780 and BDR had the largest polar (4.24–4.64 cm) and equatorial diameters (5.12–5.32 cm), larger equatorial and polar diameters suggest consumer-preferred bulb size and higher volume [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR45\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e45\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR46\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e46\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR47\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e47\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR48\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e48\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR49\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e49\u003c/span\u003e]. Yet its higher bulb centerness (except B-780) and firmness (105.42 lbf) may compromise market and storage quality. Strong firmness in B-780, Bhima Super indicates better post-harvest performance, while weak firmness in Bhima Safed suggests reduced storability. Higher ring thickness in Bhima Super and Bhima Shweta enhances structural robustness. All varieties exhibit bulb glossiness, a positive trait linked to fresh appearance and resistance to microbial colonization [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR50\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e50\u003c/span\u003e]. Thick necks in Bhima Safed and Bhima Raj necessitate proper post-harvest curing to avoid spoilage, while thin-necked Bhima Red and B-780 offers better storability [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR51\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e51\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR52\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e52\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR53\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e53\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR54\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e54\u003c/span\u003e]. B-780 found superior for bulb firmness (131.09 lbf), a critical post-harvest trait ensuring resilience during storage and transit. Bulb centerness in B-780, Bhima Shweta, Bhima Safed, Bhima Raj and Bhima Super aligns with consumer preference for single-centered bulbs [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR52\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e52\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR55\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e55\u003c/span\u003e]. Reddish bulb flesh, seen in most varieties, implies stronger flavor, while whitish flesh (Bhima Safed, B. Shubhra and B. Shweta) denotes milder taste [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR56\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e56\u003c/span\u003e]. Flat root discs (ADR, B-780 and Bhima Dark Red) favor easy harvesting, whereas exerted disc though possibly aiding water uptake may be less suitable for waterlogged soils. Yield variability aligns with earlier findings [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR57\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e57\u003c/span\u003e], where Bhima Dark Red, Bhima Super, B-780 and Bhima Red showed superior productivity. Lower yield in Bhima Safed and ADR reaffirm the trend of lower \u003cem\u003ekharif\u003c/em\u003e yields compared to \u003cem\u003erabi\u003c/em\u003e [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e27\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR47\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e47\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR58\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e58\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR59\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e59\u003c/span\u003e]. BDR combined high average weight (63.71 g) with excellent marketable (30.84 t/ha) and total yield (35.88 t/ha), marking it as a robust performer under \u003cem\u003ekharif\u003c/em\u003e season stresses. Yield outcomes clearly showed BDR, Bhima Super and B-780 superior showing their potential for \u003cem\u003ekharif\u003c/em\u003e cultivation where environmental instability demands resilient and high-performing varieties, as reported by Khade et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR60\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e60\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBoxplots illustrating the distribution of nine biochemical traits across nine \u003cem\u003ekharif\u003c/em\u003e onion genotypes over two years revealed significant year-to-year variability. Antioxidant activity and total phenols were slightly higher in 2023, suggesting greater oxidative stress response during that season. In contrast, traits such as pyruvic acid, reducing sugars, non-reducing sugars, total flavonoids and total sugars showed elevated median values in 2024, indicating improved sweetness and biochemical richness. Moisture content was more stable and slightly higher in 2024, while total soluble solids were marginally higher in 2023, reflecting better dry matter content. The observed trend indicates the influence of seasonal variation on onion quality traits, which aligns with findings from Kiani et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR61\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e61\u003c/span\u003e] and Loredana et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR62\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e62\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRed and dark red varieties generally exhibited higher pungency, phenolic and flavonoid content, antioxidant activity contributing to a stronger flavor profile and greater nutraceutical potential [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR63\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e63\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR64\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e64\u003c/span\u003e]. In contrast, white-fleshed varieties such as Bhima Safed, Bhima Shubhra, and Bhima Shweta showed lower pungency, which is often associated with reduced levels of sulfur-containing compounds, particularly thiosulfinates and S-alk(en)yl cysteine sulfoxides, which are responsible for the pungency in onions [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR65\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e65\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR66\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e66\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR67\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e67\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR68\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e68\u003c/span\u003e]. White onions generally have less pyruvic acid, a biochemical indicator of pungency, resulting in a milder flavor profile [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR69\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e69\u003c/span\u003e]. These varieties also had lower phenolic content and antioxidant activity but higher non-reducing sugars, resulting in a milder and sweeter taste [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR70\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e70\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR71\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e71\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR72\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e72\u003c/span\u003e]. The \u003cem\u003ekharif\u003c/em\u003e season's environmental conditions, such as higher humidity and rainfall, may have influenced sulfur assimilation and secondary metabolite accumulation, thereby affecting pungency and sugar content across genotypes (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e). However, a study by Lee et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR73\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e73\u003c/span\u003e] suggests that in soils already sufficient in sulfur, additional sulfur application did not enhance pungency or flavor-related compounds in onion cultivars.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe results point to a strong size yield complex, where increased yield is closely associated with greater plant height and bulb weight (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e). This highlights the importance of selecting genotypes with enhanced vegetative and bulb development traits for improving productivity. These findings align partially with previous studies by Lakshmi [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR74\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e74\u003c/span\u003e], Chattopadhyay et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR75\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e75\u003c/span\u003e], and Trivedi et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR76\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e76\u003c/span\u003e], but showed stronger correlations than those studies. They are however, slightly weaker than those reported by Gurjar and Singhania [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR77\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e77\u003c/span\u003e] and Yogita et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR78\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e78\u003c/span\u003e], indicating variation due to genotype and environmental conditions. On the biochemical front the significant association between non-reducing sugars and total sugars reflects their metabolic relationship and suggests that genotypes rich in NRS are likely to have higher overall sugar content, which may influence taste and storage quality. Unlike the findings by Brahimi et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR79\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e79\u003c/span\u003e], who reported stronger flavonoid-AOA correlation, the present study shows total phenols as a better predictor of antioxidant activity, consistent with results reported by Sharma et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e34\u003c/span\u003e]. This could imply that phenolic content plays a more decisive role than flavonoids in determining the antioxidant potential of \u003cem\u003ekharif\u003c/em\u003e-grown onion varieties under the current experimental conditions.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOn the contrary, negative correlations such as that between bulb firmness and reducing sugars indicate a potential trade-off, where higher sugar accumulation might compromise structural integrity, affecting post-harvest handling and shelf life. Furthermore, the inverse relationships between total soluble solids and both TP and total flavonoids suggest a possible dilution or competition effect, where increasing sweetness may reduce the antioxidant potential [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e34\u003c/span\u003e]. These antagonistic associations warrant careful balancing in breeding efforts, depending on the target use whether for processing, storage, or health attributes.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe formation of three distinct clusters shows the genetic and functional divergence among the genotypes (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e). ADR forming a unique cluster reflects its outlier status, possibly due to its lower pyruvic acid and antioxidant activity, suggesting limited utility in nutraceutical applications but potential niche suitability due to moderate yield performance. The clustering of Bhima Safed, Bhima Shubhra, and Bhima Shweta into a white onion-specific group highlights their homogeneity in moisture content and sugar-related traits, coupled with lower antioxidant properties. This similarity suggests their shared genetic background or breeding origin and points toward their suitability for fresh consumption rather than storage or processing purposes. In contrast, the red varieties grouped in the third cluster demonstrated superior productivity and enhanced phytochemical attributes, indicating their potential for both yield stability and health-promoting qualities. Traits such as higher average bulb weight, marketable yield, total yield and elevated levels of pyruvic acid, total phenols, and flavonoids suggest that these genotypes are more promising for dual-purpose breeding targeting both agronomic performance and nutritional quality. These clustering patterns are consistent with earlier reports suggesting that inter-cluster hybridization can harness greater genetic variability and heterosis [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR75\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e75\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR80\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e80\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR81\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e81\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR82\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e82\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR83\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e83\u003c/span\u003e]. Further, trait-based classification provides practical value for breeders aiming at targeted improvements whether for yield, storability, or earliness [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR84\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e84\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePC1 accounting for 26.7% positively correlated with traits such as pseudostem length (PSL), days to harvesting (DTH), total sugars (TS), equatorial diameter (ED), polar diameter (PD). These traits are generally associated with bulb quality, growth and nutraceutical value, suggesting that varieties located on the positive axis of PC1 exhibit favorable quality traits. Among them, B. Safed showed distinct separation driven by elevated levels of RS, making it a potential donor for enhanced flavor and processing traits. This aligns with reports by Chope and Terry [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR85\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e85\u003c/span\u003e], Kale et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR86\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e86\u003c/span\u003e], Insani et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR87\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e87\u003c/span\u003e] and emphasized the utility of biochemical traits in differentiating onion genotypes for processing and nutraceutical purposes. Conversely, the negative axis of PC1 was dominated by moisture content (MC), number of leaves (NOL), ring thickness (RT) and leaf diameter (LD). B. Safed aligned with these traits and was positioned distinctly on the negative side, indicating its potential utility for fresh market cultivars where juiciness and sweetness are preferred. Varieties with high moisture content tend to have reduced storability but better consumer appeal in the fresh segment [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR88\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e88\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR89\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e89\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePC2, accounting for 25.1% of variability, showed the role of plant height (PH), marketable yield (MY), total yield (TY), bulb firmness (BF), non-reducing sugars (NRS), pyruvic acid (PA), total phenols (TP), total flavonoids (TF) and antioxidant activity (AOA) in discriminating genotypes. Notably, BDR, B. Red, B-780 and B. Super clustered on the upper quadrant of the biplot and were closely associated with robust yield traits and biochemical contents. These traits are essential in developing high-yielding varieties with health-promoting attributes. Previous studies have demonstrated the importance of these traits in enhancing both yield potential and market value of onion cultivars [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR68\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e68\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR90\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e90\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Methods","content":"\u003cp\u003eNine onion genotypes suitable for \u003cem\u003ekharif\u003c/em\u003e (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e) were grown on raised beds of size 6 x 1 m with 15 x 10 cm, row-row and plant-plant spacing in randomized block design with three replications in 2023 and 2024 at experimental farm of ICAR-Directorate of Onion and Garlic Research, Rajgurunagar, Pune (18º 32’ N, 73º 51’ E). Fifteen morphological traits, plant height (cm), number of leaves, pseudostem length (cm), pseudostem diameter (mm), leaf diameter (mm), days to harvest, polar diameter (cm), equatorial diameter (cm), neck thickness (cm), bulb centerness, bulb firmness (lbf), ring thickness (mm), marketable yield (t/ha), total yield (t/ha), average bulb weight (g) as well as nine biochemical traits, moisture content (%), total sugars (%), total phenols (mg/g), antioxidants (µmol/g), pyruvic acid (µmol/g), flavonoids (mg/g), reducing sugar (%), non-reducing sugar (%) and TSS (%) were assessed.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAmong 15 morphological characteristics, foliage traits, plant height (cm), number of leaves per plant, pseudostem length (cm), pseudostem diameter (cm), leaf diameter (cm), were recorded after two months of transplanting. Bulb traits, days to harvest, polar diameter (cm), equatorial diameter (cm), neck thickness (cm), bulb centerness, bulb firmness (lbf), average bulb weight (g), marketable yield (t/ha) and total yield (t/ha) were recorded by selecting randomly five plants bulbs from each replication after harvesting.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab5\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eList of onion varieties used in the study\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSr. No.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVarieties\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSource\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAgrifound Dark Red (ADR)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNHRDF, Nashik\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eB-780\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMPKV, Rahuri\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBhima Dark Red (BDR)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eICAR-DOGR, Pune\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBhima Raj\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eICAR-DOGR, Pune\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBhima Red\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eICAR-DOGR, Pune\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBhima Safed\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eICAR-DOGR, Pune\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBhima Shubhra\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eICAR-DOGR, Pune\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBhima Shweta\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eICAR-DOGR, Pune\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBhima Super\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eICAR-DOGR, Pune\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe pyruvic acid was estimated using 2, 4 di-nitrophenyl hydrazine (DNPH) reagent [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e29\u003c/span\u003e] with a slight modification to the Schwimmer \u0026amp; Weston [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR30\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e30\u003c/span\u003e] method. Moisture content of onion samples was determined by using hot air oven method. The total soluble solids content in the onion juice was recorded with the help of a hand refractometer and expressed in percent. Total sugar content estimation was carried out using the Anthrone reagent at 630 nm. The onion bulbs were cut longitudinally into two pieces, then sliced and blended in the grinder to make a fine paste. About 0.1 g of the sample was used to calculate the total sugar content in the onion. Each tube containing 10 ml of 2N HCl was incubated in a water bath for 3 hours. After incubation, the samples were neutralized by adding sodium carbonate until the effervescences stopped. The volume of samples was finalized to 50 mL each. Further, about 5 mL of samples were centrifuged and pipetted out 0.5 mL of each sample and an equal amount of distilled water was added. Anthrone reagent was freshly prepared in 95% cold sulphuric acid, and about 4 mL was added in each of the samples and recorded readings using a spectrophotometer at a wavelength of 630 nm. The concentration of sugar present was calculated by plotting a standard graph of glucose. The reducing sugar content was determined according to the Nelson [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR31\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e31\u003c/span\u003e] and Somogyi [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e32\u003c/span\u003e] method.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTotal phenols content was estimated by using the Folin-Ciocalteu colorimetric assay described by Singleton et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e33\u003c/span\u003e] and results were expressed as mg/g. The absorbance of solutions was read at 765 nm using a UV-Visible Spectrophotometer. To analyze total phenols in onion bulbs, 2–5 g of finely ground onion paste was extracted with 10 mL of 80% methanol and incubated overnight at room temperature, followed by centrifugation at 7000 rpm for 10 minutes to collect the supernatant. The extract (200 µL) is mixed with 1 mL of 10% Folin-Ciocalteu reagent, vortexed, then treated with 800 µL of Na\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eCO\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003e, incubated in the dark for 2 hours and absorbance was measured at 765 nm using a spectrophotometer. The concentration of phenols was calculated by plotting a standard graph of gallic acid equivalent (GAE).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTotal flavonoid content (TF) was estimated following the method of Sharma et al.[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e34\u003c/span\u003e], using quercetin as a standard and expressed as mg quercetin equivalent per gram dry weight (mg QE/g). For analysis, 1 mL of onion extract was mixed with 1 mL distilled water, followed by 300 µL each of 5% NaNO₂ and 10% AlCl₃. After 6 minutes of incubation at room temperature, 2 mL of 1N NaOH and 2.4 mL distilled water were added to make up 7 mL. The mixture was thoroughly mixed, and absorbance was recorded at 510 nm using a spectrophotometer. Quercetin is used as standard and flavonoids content are represented as milligram quercetin equivalent per/gram of sample.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAntioxidants activity was measured by FRAP method as given by Benzie and Strain [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e35\u003c/span\u003e]. FRAP reagent was prepared by mixing sodium acetate (300 mM, pH 3.6), TPTZ (312.34 mg in 100 mL 40 mM HCl), and FeCl₃·6H₂O (324 mg in 100 mL DW) in a 10:1:1 ratio. For the assay, 900 µL of FRAP reagent was mixed with 30 µL of sample extract and 90 µl of distilled water in a 2 mL Eppendorf tube. Samples were incubated at 37°C for 4–5 minutes, and absorbance was measured at 593 nm. Antioxidant activity was calculated by plotting a standard graph of Trolox.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eStatistical analysis\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe analysis of variance, Tukey/HSD test and boxplot were performed in R-studio 4.3.1. Agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis was used to determine the differences and similarities among the genotypes, with Euclidean distance as the distance measure and Ward's method as the linkage criterion, which best reflects the differences existing among the genotypes [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e36\u003c/span\u003e]. The cluster analysis, Pearson correlation and PCA were performed in Python 3.10.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAcknowledgments\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAuthors sincerely acknowledge the financial support received from ICAR, New Delhi, India.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthors Contribution:\u003c/strong\u003e Author [AJG] contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation and data collection were performed by [AJG] [PT] [SV] and [SK]. The manuscript was prepared by [AJG] [SK] and [SV]. Analysis of data and interpretation was performed by [AJG] and [SK]. Manuscript review, edition and finalization were performed by [AJG], [SK], [PT], [KG] and [VM] and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData availability:\u003c/strong\u003e All data generated or analysed during this study are included in the article and its supplementary information files.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthics approval and consent to participate:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003eThe manuscript was not submitted anywhere else and results were presented without fabrication, falsification, or inappropriate data manipulation. Research does not pose any threat to public health or national security.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompeting interests:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003eThe author(s) declare no competing interests.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunding:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003eThis work was financially supported by Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, India.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eVan Wyk, B. E. \u003cem\u003eCulinary herbs and spices of the world\u003c/em\u003e (University of Chicago Press, 2014). \u003cspan class=\"ExternalRef\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"RefSource\"\u003ehttps://doi.org/10.7208/9780226091839.001.0001\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan address=\"10.7208/9780226091839.001.0001\" targettype=\"DOI\" class=\"RefTarget\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTeshika, J. D. et al. 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Antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities of phenols from onion (\u003cem\u003eAllium cepa\u003c/em\u003e). \u003cem\u003eFood Chem.\u003c/em\u003e \u003cb\u003e102\u003c/b\u003e, 1389\u0026ndash;1393. \u003cspan class=\"ExternalRef\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"RefSource\"\u003ehttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2006.06.063\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan address=\"10.1016/j.foodchem.2006.06.063\" targettype=\"DOI\" class=\"RefTarget\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e (2007).\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Onion, Kharif, Biochemical components, Correlation, Hierarchical clustering","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7103859/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7103859/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eKharif\u003c/em\u003e onion plays a critical role in stabilizing onion supply and prices in India during the lean period between \u003cem\u003erabi\u003c/em\u003e and late \u003cem\u003ekharif\u003c/em\u003e harvests. However, its cultivation is constrained by variable monsoon conditions, waterlogging stress and limited varietal adaptation. This study evaluated nine \u003cem\u003ekharif\u003c/em\u003e adapted onion genotypes across two seasons (2023\u0026ndash;2024) at ICAR-DOGR, Pune, assessing fifteen agro-morphological and nine biochemical traits. Combined ANOVA showed significant effects of genotype, year and their interaction for most traits. BDR, Bhima Super and B-780 recorded the highest yields (marketable: 29.99\u0026ndash;30.84 t/ha; total: 33.30-35.88 t/ha) with larger bulb sizes, while Bhima Shweta and Bhima Red matured early but yielded less. Bhima Raj and BDR showed the highest phenolic content and antioxidant activity; B-780 and Bhima Shubhra had the highest sugar contents. Strong positive correlations were observed between total yield, marketable yield and average bulb weight (r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.78\u0026ndash;0.95) and between total phenols and antioxidant activity (r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.87). Cluster and PCA analyses grouped genotypes into three distinct clusters based on yield and quality traits. These findings identify genotypes combining both high yield and enhanced biochemical quality, offering valuable parents for \u003cem\u003ekharif\u003c/em\u003e onion breeding aimed at improving bulb yield, storability and health-promoting attributes.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Trait-Specific Assessment and Classification of Kharif Onion (Allium cepa L.) Varieties for Enhanced Bulb Yield and Quality","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-07-23 17:45:06","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7103859/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"79880a80-6c01-4bca-acda-10c6d94f3f59","owner":[],"postedDate":"July 23rd, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[{"id":51900104,"name":"Biological sciences/Biochemistry"},{"id":51900105,"name":"Biological sciences/Biotechnology"},{"id":51900106,"name":"Biological sciences/Physiology"},{"id":51900107,"name":"Biological sciences/Plant sciences"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-02-05T14:12:09+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-07-23 17:45:06","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-7103859","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-7103859","identity":"rs-7103859","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}