Advisory for the Month of February 2026

Harvesting of late kharif onion and garlic crops may begin this month in timely planted crops. However, rabi onion and onion seed crops will stay in the fields for another 2–3 months. Under these conditions, the following advisories should be followed.

A. For Late Kharif Onion Crop

• If bolting is observed, the bolted plants should be harvested immediately. Bolters are also a source of contamination for seed crop.
• Pesticide sprays should be stopped 20 days before harvesting.
• Irrigation should be stopped at 105 days after transplanting.
• Crop should be harvested after attaining 50% neck fall.
• Harvested bulbs may be left in the field for 3 days for curing, which makes bulbs firm and dry and helps in improving shelf life.
• After 3 days of field curing, the tops should be removed leaving 2.0–2.5 cm stalk above the bulbs and bulbs should be shade cured for 10–12 days for better storage.

B. For Rabi Onion Crop

• If there is an incidence of thrips/foliar diseases, spray of profenophos (1 ml/L) along with hexaconazole (1 g/L) is recommended.
• If profenophos (1 ml/L) + hexaconazole (1 g/L) spray has already been made, a spray of fipronil (1 ml/L) along with propiconazole (1 g/L) is recommended after 15 days of the previous spray, if required.
• Top dressing of nitrogen @ 35 kg/ha should be applied at 30 and 45 days after transplanting.
• Hand weeding should be done at 40–60 days after transplanting.
• Foliar application of micronutrient mixture (5 g/L) is recommended at 45 and 60 days after transplanting.
• Irrigation should be done timely, as per requirement.

C. For Garlic Crop

• Foliar application of elemental sulphur (2 g/L) is recommended to control red spider mite.
• Foliar application of dicofol (2 ml/L) is recommended after 15 days of sulphur spray to control red spider mite, if required.
• First prophylactic spray of carbosulfan (2 ml/L) along with tricyclozole (1 g/L) is recommended to control diseases and pests, if required.
• Second spray of profenophos (1 ml/L) along with hexaconazole (1 g/L) is recommended after 15 days of the first spray, if required.
• If the first two sprays are over, a third spray of fipronil (1 ml/L) along with propiconazole (1 g/L) is recommended after 15 days of the second spray, if required.
• Pesticide sprays should be stopped 20 days before harvesting.
• Garlic should be harvested after 50% drying of leaves.
• Harvesting should be done by pulling the plants out along with bulbs.
• Garlic bulbs along with tops may be cured/dried in the field for 2–3 days after harvesting to increase storage life by minimizing microbial and fungal infection and water loss during storage.

D. For Onion Seed Crop

• After flowering, no chemical sprays should be made, as they may adversely affect pollinators.
• Hand weeding may be done if absolutely necessary, taking care not to damage flower stalks.
• If honey bee activity is low, 1–2 honey bee hives per acre may be placed to improve seed setting.
• Crop should be irrigated timely, as per requirement.