Seed-grown shallots are conquering the world.

The shallot is a close relative of the onion and a well-known flavour enhancer in the kitchen. Since 1994, shallots have not only been grown from bulbs, but also from seed. What is the difference? We asked shallot expert and breeder Lennaert Aardse from De Groot en Slot.

Seed-grown shallots vs. bulb-grown shallots: what's the difference?

The main difference, perhaps not surprisingly, is that a seed-grown shallot is produced from seed, while a bulb-grown shallot is propagated vegetatively. This means that a harvested shallot bulb is replanted in the soil. From this single bulb, several new shallots will grow. After harvest, part of the crop is kept as planting material. These shallots are planted again the following year, while the remaining shallots are sold. The cycle then starts all over again.

With seed-grown shallots, new seeds are used every year. Each seed grows into one shallot, and the entire harvest is sold.

The advantages of seed-grown shallots.

There are several advantages to growing shallots from seed:

• Sowing is easier than planting. In addition, the production process for seed-grown shallots can be almost fully mechanised, reducing dependence on manual labour. Traditional bulb-grown shallots require a great deal of heavy manual work, both during planting and harvesting.
• Seed is free from viruses and diseases. Shallot seed is purchased directly from the breeding company. Before being sold, the seeds are tested for a wide range of variety characteristics, including uniformity, varietal purity, yield and shape, as well as disease resistance, germination energy and germination capacity. This means growers start the season with clean, high-quality seed.
• Bulb-grown shallots have a higher risk of spreading diseases. Although growers start with clean planting material, viruses and diseases can gradually build up because part of each harvest is kept for replanting. Over time, diseases can spread between bulbs and fields, making it necessary to purchase new planting material. This is often an expensive process.
• Hybrid seed provides consistent quality.
• Seed-grown shallots can be stored for longer than bulb-grown shallots.

So why would you still grow bulb-grown shallots?

In practice, more and more growers around the world are switching to seed-grown shallots. France is one of the few countries where bulb-grown shallots are still widely cultivated. There, they have become a traditional product: the original French shallot.

So, are there still advantages to bulb-grown shallots? Absolutely. Compared to seed-grown shallots, they can be harvested earlier in the season, meaning they are ready for sale sooner.

And what about onions?

Shallots and onions are often mentioned together, but they are not the same. Shallots come from a different plant and have a different composition than onions, although they do belong to the same family. Both are part of the Allium family, which also includes garlic and leeks.

When it comes to onions, growers can also choose between planting material and seed. However, the differences between onion sets and seed-grown onions are not the same as those for shallots. Onions always originate from seed. Onion sets are produced by first growing a small, immature onion. After being stored in cool, dry conditions, these small onions are used as planting material.

In the Netherlands, seed-grown onions are cultivated more widely. Whether a grower chooses onion sets or seed-grown onions depends on their specific needs. Growers take the following factors into account:

• Onion sets can be harvested earlier than seed-grown onions. After all, the small onion already has a head start over a seed, meaning it reaches the market sooner.
• Onion sets generally contain more dry matter (the material that remains after the water has evaporated), making them easier to process.
• Onion sets cannot be stored as long as seed-grown onions.