Morphological characterization of flowering in local shallot (Allium cepa L.) varieties in the lowlands region of Jember

¹ Department of Agricultural Production, Politeknik Negeri Jember, Jl. Mastrip PO BOX 164 Jember, Indonesia.
² Universitas Timor, Kefamenanu, North Central Timor Regency, East Nusa Tenggara

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

Shallots are an important commodity in Indonesia. Production declined from 2021 to 2023 due to limited land availability and high production costs. Flowering is a crucial stage in plant reproduction that affects yield, yet it often occurs unevenly and is highly influenced by environmental and genetic factors. Morphological characterization of shallot flowering is necessary to understand the genetic basis of flowering in local varieties, in order to support the breeding of superior cultivars with stable flowering and resistance to environmental stress. The study was conducted in Jember Regency starting in July 2025. The research used a non-factorial randomized block design, using local shallot varieties as treatments, namely Bima, Sumenep, Eban, Biru Lancor, Batu Ijo and Tajuk. The experiment was repeated four times. This study used a morphological characterization approach to flowering through direct observation. The observed parameters included: time of umbel emergence,the age at umbel cracking number of umbels per plant, number of flowers per umbel, time of flower blooming. Data were statistically analyzed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Honestly Significant Difference (HSD) test. Studies show that all varieties except the Sumenep variety were able to flower. Among the flowering varieties observed, Tajuk was the slowest to initiate flowering. The Bima variety produced the greatest number of flower umbels and the highest percentage of flowering plants, as well as the most flowers per umbel.