Shallot
Allium cepa var. aggregatum
- Days to harvest
- 60–90 days
- Sunlight
- 6–8 hours/day
- Watering
- 3–4 per day
- Plant spacing
- 15 cm
- Minimum container size
- 20cm deep × 20cm wide
- Container-friendly
- 4 plants per container
- Estimated yield
- 150 kg / 100m²
- Life span
- annual
Climate Requirements
- Ideal temperature
- 25-32 °C
- Annual rainfall
- 800-1500 mm
- Humidity
- 50-70%
- Heat tolerance
- moderate
- Drought tolerance
- moderate
Soil & Planting
Planting method
Bulb planting
Soil requirements
Well-drained sandy loam, pH 6.0-7.0
Companion Plants
- Cherry Tomatostrong
Shallot allicin exudates in soil suppress Fusarium oxysporum and Verticillium around tomato roots; reduces incidence of wilt diseases in tomato
- Bird's Eye Chilistrong
Allium border around chili beds significantly reduces aphid and nematode pressure; shallot shallow roots compatible with chili's deeper root system
Plants to Avoid Nearby
- Long Bean
Allium exudates directly toxic to nitrogen-fixing Rhizobium in legume root nodules; shallots planted near long beans reduce yield by disrupting N-fixation
Common Pests & Diseases
Market Demand
Very high; essential cooking ingredient
Regional Notes
Mostly imported; MARDI developed BAW-1 and BAW-2 shallot varieties for local cultivation; farmers in Kelantan, Pahang, Sabah piloting; government targets 30% local supply by 2030
Sources
- MARDI Field Crops Research 2024 — Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute · Last reviewed: 2024-06-01
Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Category: Bulb Vegetables