21 Mar Onion biodiversity and improved varieties in India
भारत में प्याज की जैव विविधता और उन्नत किस्में। Onion (Allium cepa L.) belongs to the family Alliaceae; it is one of the most important commercial vegetable grown widely in Rabi, Kharif and late Kharif in the different parts of the country. Onion bulbs having characteristic odour, flavour and pungency, which is due to the presence of a volatile oil – allyl-propyl-disulphide. Pungency is formed by enzymatic reaction when tissues are broken. It is used as salad and cooked in many ways in curries, fried, boiled, baked and used in making soups, pickles; dehydrated onions and onion flakes as Value addition. Onion bulb is rich in minerals like phosphorus (50 mg / 100 g) and calcium (180 mg / 100 g) along with onion have many medicinal uses in cardio vascular, diabetes, respiratory tracts, cancer, diuretic, wounds and boils and also prevent from sun stock. India is the second largest producers of onion in the world after China, with 22.5 million tonnes produced in 2016-17. The key onion producing states Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Gujarat contribute over 50 percent of all India production, with Maharashtra alone accounting for over 30 percent of India's onion production. The other significant contributors are M.P., Bihar, A.P and Rajasthan.Onion is cover more than 70 percent of export earning share from of...