symptoms
Symptoms
- circleSoft, grey-brown rot starting at the neck of bulbs, especially onions
- circleGrey fuzzy mold growth around the neck in storage
- circleBlack sclerotia (hard resting bodies) forming between scales
help
Causes
Caused by Botrytis allii, which typically infects through leaf dieback at the neck late in the growing season and develops further during storage, especially where bulbs are stored in humid or poorly ventilated conditions.
healing
Treatment
Discard infected bulbs promptly, and ensure remaining bulbs are cured thoroughly and stored in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place to slow further spread.
shield
Prevention
Avoid excess nitrogen fertilizer, let foliage die down naturally before harvest, cure bulbs fully in dry conditions, and rotate crops each season.