Taxonomy and Scientific Classification of Onion   * Kingdom: Plantae   * Order: Asparagales   * Family: Alliaceae   * Genus: Allium   * Species: A. cepa Onion belongs to the oAlliaceae family and genus Allium. It is one of the oldest vegetables with several economic benefits. The common name of the species Allium cepa is garden onion or bulb onion and shallot (Grubben and Denton, 2004). There are further classifications that can be seen among the species. For instance, the fresh market onion (Allium cepa L.) has been classified to the Liliaceae and belongs to the genus Allium, section “Schoenoprasum”. Even today the wild onions grow in Central Asia that is said to be the place of origin of the entire family of onions. Botanists have places Allium cepa genus as part of the lily family. There are totally 325 species of onions, among these there are more than 50 of which that grow in North America. The family of allium comprises of varieties such as onions, shallots, green onions also called scallions, chives, leeks, and garlic (vegparadise.com, 2008). Morphology and Anatomy Onion is a biennial plant as a consequence they blossom only in the second year after its plantation. There are special ways of cultivation it. It grows only in places with specific climatic and soil conditions. The length of the day determines the growth and propagation of onion. Studies have proven that the only when the optimal day length is reached the swelling of the leaf base followed by the bulb formation initiates. The exception is only in some of the special varieties or more specifically the short-day varieties where in the swelling of the base initiates at a day length of 11 hours. In normal varieties or the long-day varieties require a day length of 15 – 16 hours for the bulb formation. The high yielding of onion prerequisites or depends on the formation of assimilation surface in the period before the formation of the bulb. The farmers and those involved in the cultivation of onion need to remember that both autumn sown and spring sown onions, need adequate time, before the critical day length is reached for proper growth and maturation. In case if these required conditions are not met there can be low growth of deformities such as formation of thick necks, especially in some late maturing autumn sown onions. The bulb serves as a storage organ during adverse conditions especially for cold and dry periods. The bulb mainly consists of water and nutrients. In other words, it can be said that after the maturation process the onion enters a phase called the sprouting resistance. In fact, at this stage the onion can be used for storage. Studies have proven that the duration of this stage vary with the different variety. From the structure it can be noted that in order to maintain the vital functions during the germ rest, the outermost onion scales are dry and less in water content. This outer most drylayer protects the inner layers from loss of water in the inner layers. The water and nutrients remain in the bulbs till the sprouting time when the water and nutrients are extracted from all skins. As a result the bulb becomes soft and the storage period ends. Researchers have found that low temperatures can lengthen the sprouting resistance. On the other hand any disturbance including physical stimuli such as transportation, temperature changes, changes in atmospheric humidity, light, etc. can have serious disturbance on the sprouting resistance (agri-saaten.de, N.D.). Onion has a