Varietal development in onion is a prolonged and complex process, typically requiring 10-12 years due to its biennial nature and the need for evaluation across diverse agro-climatic conditions during Kharif, Late Kharif and Rabi seasons. In India, onion research and development have been significantly strengthened under the All India Network Research Project on Onion and Garlic (AINRPOG) through collaboration with State Agricultural Universities (SAUs) and ICAR institutes. Onion varieties are notified for commercial cultivation through either the Central Varietal Release Committee (CVRC) or the State Varietal Release Committee (SVRC). Through sustained research efforts, ICAR-DOGR, Pune has successfully developed 18 improved onion varieties and four garlic varieties suitable for different regions and cropping seasons of the country. Building on this strong scientific foundation, ICAR-DOGR has taken a major step towards enhancing the outreach and adoption of its improved onion variety Bhima Light Red by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Padma Shanti Crop Sciences Pvt. Ltd. Solapur. The MoU was signed by Dr. V. Mahajan, Director, ICAR-DOGR in the presence of Dr. Amar Jeet Gupta, Principal Scientist (Veg Sci)/ Onion Breeder and Dr. Rajiv B. Kale, Senior Scientist (Agril Extension). Mr. Vasant Rathode represented Padma Shanti Crop Sciences Pvt. Ltd. during the signing ceremony.

The MoU aims to facilitate effective technology transfer, large-scale seed multiplication and efficient distribution of Bhima Light Red, an improved onion variety known for its attractive light red, globe-shaped bulbs, uniform size, excellent bulb storability and high market demand. Field demonstrations of Bhima Light Red have been successfully conducted under the Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP) in Nandurbar and Pune districts of Maharashtra as well as Mirzapur and Sonbhadra districts of Uttar Pradesh. Owing to its superior performance, the variety has gained wide popularity among farmers and its success story has also been documented and published. This initiative strategically addresses challenges related to inconsistent onion supply and market price volatility by improving farmer access to quality seeds of a high-performing variety. It not only highlights ICAR-DOGR’s pioneering research in onion improvement but also bridges the gap between research innovations and farmer-level adoption.

In view of fluctuating onion availability and market instability, Bhima Light Red is expected to provide a stable, high-yielding alternative for Rabi cultivation with excellent storability. Scientists at ICAR-DOGR emphasized that the MoU aligns with the institute’s mission to strengthen India’s onion value chain through the application of frontline research. The initiative is assured to bring Bhima Light Red into wider cultivation, further reinforcing ICAR-DOGR’s role as a national leader in onion research and development.

Salient characteristics of onion variety ‘Bhima Light Red’

Traits	Features
Variety	Bhima Light Red
Plant	Erect, height (50-55 cm); 9-10 medium green leaves; leaf diameter 1.0-1.2 cm; pseudo stem length 5-6 cm; pseudo stem diameter 1.0-1.2 cm; no foliage cranking
Bulb	Bulbs are attractive light red colour and globe shaped; thin neck; polar diameter 4.0-4.5 cm; equatorial diameter 5.0-5.5 cm; medium rings; reddish flesh; medium skin adherence; flat root disc; symmetrical bulb; single axis; non-splitting types
Recommended Season & Region	For Rabi: Karnataka and Tamil Nadu
Maturity	110-120 days after transplanting
Bolting	Less than 5%
Average Yield	36-40 t/ha
Highest Yield	45-50 t/ha
Bulb storability	Suitable for storage up to 5-6 months during late kharif and rabi
Total Soluble Solids	12.5-13.5° Brix
Reaction to Major Pests & Diseases	Field tolerant to thrips and foliar diseases
Uniqueness	Bulb attains immediate attractive red color after harvest; early and uniform maturity; uniform neck fall; better in bulb storability.