Innovative Farming, 1(4): 171-178, 2016 (Spl) Parthasarathy et al., 2016 www.innovativefarming.

in

Innovative Farming
-An International Journal of Agriculture

Mini Review
ALLIUM DISEASES: A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE Article

S. Parthasarathy*, S. Rajamanickam and M. Muthamilan

Department of Plant Pathology,
Centre for Plant Protection Studies,
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore – 641003, India
*Corresponding author’s E-mail: spsarathyagri@gmail.com

KEY WORDS ABSTRACT

Allium, Diseases, Allium crops were well kno wn slightly perishable spicy vegetables. It is highly valued
Fungi, Garlic, as anti drug, odor and flouring agents. The success of alliums global market is its
Onion inherent ability to be stored fo r long time. About 35-40% crop is lost due to damage
ARTICLE INFO caused by field and storage diseases. The fungal bulb rot imparts to about 15-30 %
Received on: losses during storage of different varieties. There are diverse fungal, oomycetes and
15.11.2016 bacterial pathogens like Alternaria porri, Aspergillus niger, Botrytis allii, Colletotrichum
Revised on: circinans, Dikeya chrysanthemi, Erwinia carotovora, Fuarium oxysporum, Peronospora
25.11.2016 destructor, Phytophthora nicotianae, Pythium spp., Rhizopus stolonifer, and some viral
Accepted on: agents which attacks alliums during the field and post-harvest sto rage period.
26.11.2016 Amongst all Alternaria porri is the most virulent fungal pathogen in the field. The
preventive approach of using fungicides to reduce the disease incidence is insufficient
to provide safe for human consumption and may be hazardous for the human health
due to residual impact issues. Therefore, it is mandatory to develop novel integrated
strategies to reduce the crop losses by the potent application of newer molecules, bio
agents and adotation of sanitation, crop rotation or in the form of combinations.
Introduction
Alliums, formerly classified with the Liliaceae (lilies Egypt, Lately, old and new alliums, both edible and
and relatives), now have their own family, the ornamental, have started to become popular worldwide.
Alliaceae. Allium species are monocotyledonous plants Significance of Onion and Garlic
possessing long green leaves. The plants in this crop Onion (Allium cepa L.) seeds have been found in
group are widely used for seasoning and cooking. The Egyptian tombs built in 3200 B.C. and some authorities
most familiar allium crops include bulb onion (Allium believe the onion may have been one of the first
cepa), spring or salad onion (A. cepa), bunching onion vegetables domesticated by humans. Allium plants
(A. fistulosum), canada onion (A. canadense) garlic (A. possess several medicinal compounds with excellent
sativum), leek (A. porrum = A. ampeloprasum var. anticancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-cholesterol and
porrum), elephant garlic (A. ampeloprasum), shallot antioxidant activity. Today onions are important crop
(A. cepa var. ascalonicum), chives (A. worldwide and China ranks first in total production of
schoenoprasum), Chinese chives (A. tuberosum), and dry onion, followed by India, the United States,
Egyptian tree onion (A. cepa var. aggregatum). Allium Turkey, Japan, Spain, Brazil, Iran and Poland,
plants are monocots and may have originated in Asia respectively. Onion, the principal Allium, ranks second
(Koike et al., 2007) there are over 600 species of in value after tomatoes on the list of cultivated
Allium distributed Asia, Africa, Australia, America vegetable crops worldwide (Kamenetsky and Fritsch,
and Europe. In addition, for generations, over 20 other 2002). The word “onion” is derived from Latin and
Allium species have been consumed by humans. They means “large pearl”. The unique flavor and odor of
have been cultivated in India and China since very onions and garlic have made them an excellent food
early times, and were highly esteemed in ancient source. Garlic (Allium sativum) is commonly used as a
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flavoring for food, as a condiment, and for medicina l Symptoms: Symptoms begin as water-soaked lesions
purposes. The milder-flavored elephant garlic (Allium that usually have a white center with minute dots.
ampeloprasum) is actually a leek that produces large Margin of lesions become brown to purple and the leaf
cloves. turns yellow above and below the lesions. These are
Diseases of Alliums at Global Status areas of fructifications of the fungus. As the disease
Onion and other alliums production and quality are progresses, lesions may girdle the leaf causing it to
negatively affected by many foliar, bulb and root collapse and die. Similar symptoms occur on seed
fungal pathogens (Schwartz and Mohan, 2004). There stalks and infected stalks can collapse resulting in
are only two reviews concerning the Fusarium basa l shriveled seed development. Older leaves are more
rot and purple blotch diseases in onion (Aveling, 1998; susceptible than younger leaves. When bulb infection
Cramer, 2000), although there are a lot of research occurs, it is normally through the neck. If the fungus
papers on onion diseases. It is affected by severa l invades the bulb, the infected area is initially bright
bacteria, fungi, nematode, virus, phytoplasma and yellow, but eventually turns a characteristic red wine
phanerogamic plant parasite. It has been estimated that color. Finally, bulbs become dry and papery.
more than 25% yield losses occur due to foliar Basal Rot/ Bulb Rot/ Root Rot/ Wilt: Fusarium
diseases, especially Stemphylium blight (S. vesicarium) oxysporum f. sp. cepae
and purple blotch (Alternaria porri) (Cramer, 2000). Onion basal rot was first observed in Ohio, US A
Most of the major garlic diseases are soil borne, so (Clinton, 1915). Basal rot is a common disease in
proper site assessment and yearly rotations are crucia l onion growing regions worldwide, causin g
in maintaining a healthy garden of garlic. In addition to economically significant losses in both field and
these diseases, garlic is also subject to damage by storage (Abawi and Lorbeer 1971). Fusarium basal rot
several genera of nematodes. reviews cover the caused by the pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp.
detection of garlic viruses and the propagation of virus- cepae which causes pre and post emergence dampin g
free crops; bacterial diseases of the alliums, includin g off in seedlings, root rot in older plants, stem plate
descriptions of diseases that have become significant discoloration and basal rot of bulbs in the field and
recently; and the important topic of forecasting and storage (Abawi and Lorbeer, 1972). F. culmorum is the
monitoring pests and diseases in connection with IPM causal agent of the same disease on garlic and leek.
methods of control. Fusarium proliferatum is reported to affect the bulbs of
Major Fungal Diseases of Alliums onion and garlic.The disease occurs in all stages of
Purple Blotch/ Brown Blotch/ Scald: Alternaria crop growth (Coskuntuna and Ozer, 2008).
porri Symptoms: Initially, above ground symptoms are
Purple blotch is one of the major constraints in onion, chlorosis, curling and necrosis at the tip of leaf blades.
garlic, shallots and leek cultivation. The causa l With time, whole leaf blades show symptoms and
organism, Alternaria porri, (Ellis) Cif (Phylum : eventually wither and dry. Infected roots are dark
Ascomycota; Subdivision: Pezizomycotina, Class : brownish, flattened, transparent and sometimes hollow.
Dothediomycetes, Order: Pleosporales, Family : When affected bulbs are cut vertically, they show a
Pleosporaceae) is a polyphagus pathogen infectin g watery, brown discoloration of the outermost layer of
crops like onion, garlic, shallot and other Allium spp. the stem plate, which may progress up through the
Shahanaz et al. (2007) reported losses about 50 to 100 storage leaves. White mycelium of the fungus may
per cent due to purple blotch disease. The yield losses colonize the scale and, eventually, roots may rot.
of bulb and seed crop in India due to this disease under Infected plants can be pulled easily because of their
favorable conditions are 96 % (Gupta and Pathak, decayed root. Infected bulbs may show no decay at
1998). This disease distributed widely in Canada, harvest but may rot in storage.
India, South Africa, US, West Indies and Europe.

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Damping Off: Pythium spp., Fusarium spp., can invade floral pats and thus infect a small
Rhizoctonia solani proportion of the seed.
Fusarium species - The fungus is mainly soil borne Blast: Botrytis allii, B. byssoidea, B. squamosa, B.
may cause both pre and post-emergence damping-off. cepa
Roots are invaded and eventually turn dark red or black Blast or Neck rot affects garlic, shallot, multiplier
as they decay. Seedlings are unthrifty and stunted, onion, and leek, but it is most important on bulb onion
eventually turn yellow, wilt and die. where losses can sometimes be greater than 50% .
Pythium species - A water-soaked lesion develops on Symptoms: Initially appear as a large number white
lower stems and a watery rot occurs on the roots. The speck with necrotic centres (2 mm in diameter)
roots may turn black as they decay. The fungus can surrounded by a light green halo (1-1.5mm in width)
also attack seeds and cause a watery decay. Older which take an elliptical shape (Sharma, 2007). Under
plants that are infected are stunted and yellowing and prolonged moist conditions, the fungus develops
wilting of leaves may occur during severe infections. rapidly and causes blighting of leaves. The pathogen
Rhizoctonia solani - Seeds may rot before germinatin g overwinters as sclerotia or mycelium on the crop
and seedlings may decay before emergence. A brown debris. Sclerotia upon germination produce conidia and
rot develops on roots and lower stems at or below the serve as source of primary inoculum.
soil line, and infected seedlings quickly wilt and Smut: Urocystis cepulae; U. colchici
collapse. Smut occurs in many onion growing areas and is
Downy Mildew: Peronospora destructor occasionally important. It affects bulb and salad onion,
The disease is caused by and reported from hilly track leek, shallot, and chives (Koike et al., 2007).
and plains particularly in high humid locations Symptoms: Infected seedlings often die within
(Sharma, 2007). Since it has occurred and has often sixweeks of emergence. Smut appears as elongated
been destructive on various kinds of onions in recently dark, slightly thickened areas near the base of
all parts of the world. The disease is worst in damp seedlings. The black lesions appear near the base of the
conditions and late planting of the crop, application of scales on planting. Infected plants are stunted as
higher doses of fertilizers and numerous irrigation infection progresses inward from leaf to leaf. On older
increased disease severity. It is a difficult disease to plants, numerous raised blisters occur near the base of
control with fungicides, and improved disease the leaves. The lesions on plant at all stages often
management strategies are a priority for research. expose a black powdery mass of spores.
Symptoms: Initial symptom observed is the brownish- Rust: Puccinia allii and its complex
purple velvet-like sporulation of the pathogen on Rust diseases of allium crops occur wherever these
healthy matured leaves mostly under humid crops are grown and are important production factors
atmosphere. As the disease progresses lesions which that cause significant crop damage to onion, leek,
are slightly paler than the normal leaf color, enlarge garlic, and chives. However, the rust pathogen is
and may girdle the leaf. These lesions progress to a comprised of genetically distinct sub-groups; therefore,
pale yellow followed by brown necrosis resulting in rust in one part of the world may or may not be the
collapse of the leaf tissue. Infected seed stalks tend to same pathogen as rust elsewhere (Jennings et al.,
remain pale yellow and, as with the foliage, are often 1990).
invaded by other fungi, typically Stemphylium or Symptoms: The disease first appears as small, circular,
Alternaria species. Field infections usually begin in white to tan lesions along leaf veins. Lesions develop
small patches and progress rapidly throughout the field. into orange toured circular or elongate uredial pustules
Bulbs can be infected and may either rot in storage, or that are often surrounded by chlorosis. Chlorotic leaf
if planted, give rise to pale green foliage. The fungus spots may also occur without further symptom
development. When disease pressure is severe, leaves

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turn yellow and die prematurely. Dark brown garlic. In Japan, losses of 70% or more can occur in
teliospores may form in the pustules later in the season. onion crops (Koike et al., 2007).
Smudge: Colletotrichum circinans Symptoms: The tip of leaves becomes yellow and
It also produces black fungal growth on onion, leek, turns white. In severe attack, leaves turn backward.
and shallot, so differentiating smut from smudge in the Water soaked area in the vicinity of the midrib may
field may be difficult. appear half way on the leaf or near the base. Lesions
Symptoms: The disease occurs late in the season as the are readily colonized by secondary fungi and sooty
crop matures and continues to develop on bulbs in molds, making diagnosis difficult in the field because
storage (Walker, 1921). The fruiting bodies of the of symptom similarities with other foliar problems
fungus turn from dark green to black as they mature, such as Cladosporium leaf blotch, purple blotch, or
and form concentric rings around the neck and on the frost damage. Badly affected leaves rot and plants may
surface of dry outer bulb scales. If the humidity is high, be stunted or even killed. The disease spreads rapidly
the disease may spread to the inner scales, causin g in cool, wet weather. On onion and garlic, this
small, yellow lesions. If the disease continues to pathogen causes water-soaked leaf blight and root rot
develop, the bulb may shrivel and sprout prematurely. symptoms.
Under warm, wet conditions this fungus can cause Major Bacterial Diseases of Alliums
damping-off and leaf spotting. Bacterial Soft Rot: Erwinia carotovora, Dickeya
White Rot: Sclerotium cepivorum chrysanthemi, Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp.
This is a major root rot disease of alliums, with onion Carotovorum, Lactobacillus spp.
and garlic being particularly affected (Entwistle, 1990). Onion bulbs are susceptible to infection around harvest
White rot can also be a common problem in garden time when bulb rot bacteria can invade leaf tissue and
settings. In some regions white rot is an increasin g enter the top of the bulbs via the neck if leaves and cut
problem due to intense crop rotations and shortage of necks are wet. Bacterial soft rot attacks nearly every
uninfested land. known fruit, fleshy tuber, root, and succulent bud or
Symptoms: This disease can be one of the most stem of most vegetable crops (Horst, 2013). Bacteria l
damaging on onions with the first symptoms includin g soft rot, is one of the most widespread and destructive
yellowing, wilting and dropping of the older leaves. As storage diseases of onion. Soft rot generally starts in
the fungus invades the root system and basal plate it the field just before or during harvest. In 1995, Dickeya
causes a rot, which eventually results in the collapse of chrysanthemi caused severe economic losses to onions
the foliage. A soft rot gradually develops in the bulb in New York. The soft-rot erwinias produce typica l
and a thick white mycelial growth develops on the base soft rot symptoms, mainly in the inner scales of the
of the bulb. Numerous sclerotia form on the diseased bulb onion.
tissues. This disease usually appears on groups of Symptoms: Bacterial soft rot is mainly a problem on
plants in the field that are often widely spaced. mature bulbs. Affected scales first appear water-soaked
However, large groups of plants may die suddenly and pale yellow to light brown when infected by
when the fungus is abundant in the soil and conditions Dickeya chrysanthemi or bleached gray to white when
are favorable for disease. infected with Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp.
White Tip: Phytophthora porri carotovorum or Initially oozing and may render
White tip is one of the most important foliar diseases complete rotting on the outer scales. As the soft rot
on leek. It has become more important in the UK with progresses, invaded fleshy scales become soft and
increasing leek production and loss of effective sticky with the interior of the bulb breaking-down. A
fungicides. The disease has been mainly reported from watery, foul-smelling thick liquid can be squeezed
Europe, Canada, and Japan. Phytophthora porri affects from the neck of diseased bulbs.
various alliums, including bulb and green onion, and

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Bacterial Blight of Leek: Pseudomonas syringae pv. Symptoms: Foliar symptoms can vary greatly, but
porri mostly consist of mild to severe mosaics, streaking,
In commercial orchards this bacterium affects striping, and chlorotic mottling. Symptoms are often
primarily leek and has been reported from the USA, most evident in the youngest leaves. The overall effect
England, France, and New Zealand. Onion, chives and is generally smaller bulb size and yield reductions of
garlic have developed bacterial blight when inoculated up to 50%.
with this pathogen in experimental situations (Lelliott Diseases of Onion (Allium cepa)
et al., 1952; Sansom et al., 1998). 1. Purple/ Brown Blotch: Alternaria porri, A.
Symptoms: Young leaves show water-soaked then tennis, A. tenuissima
yellow longitudinal lesions or stripes that later split and 2. Powdery Mildew: Oidiopsis taurica, Leveillula
rot. The leaves can become curled and twisted as taurica
growth continues. On older leaves, the pathogen causes 3. Basal Rot: Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cepae
yellow spots around wounds. Flowering stalks are very 4. Black Stalk Rot/ Tip Blight/ Seed Mold:
susceptible and develop deep, water-soaked lesions Stemphylium botryosum
that ooze a bacterial exudate. Older stalk lesions are 5. Charcoal Rot: Macrophomina phaseoli
sunken, first yellow, then finally brown in color. Leek 6. Dry Rot: Diplodia natalensis
transplants can develop the disease while growing in 7. Canker: Helminthosporium allii
greenhouses. Leaves of transplants develop yellow, 8. Neck Rot/ Gray Mold: Botrytis allii; B. cinerea
then brown, elongated lesions. Lesions usually involve 9. Brown Stain: Botrytis cinerea
the tips of the leaves. 10. Blast: Botrytis allii, B. byssoidea, B. squamosa,
Major Viral Diseases of Alliums B. cepa
Onion Yellow Dwarf: Onion yellow dwarf virus 11. Botrytis Leaf Blight: Botrytis squamosa
The Onion yellow dwarf virus infects plants from the 12. Leaf blotch: Cladosporium allii-cepa
genus Allium worldwide (Diekmann 1997). It is 13. Pink Root Rot: Pyrenochaeta terrestris
transmitted mechanically by aphids as a non-persistent 14. Phytophthora Neck and Bulb: Phytophthora
virus. It is not transmitted via seeds (Brunt et al., 1996; nicotianae
Lot et al., 1998), but by vectors and vegetative 15. Root Rot: Thielaviopsis basicola
propagation material. The host range of this virus is 16. Smudge: Colletotrichum circinans
limited to the genus Allium; the infection is 17. Southern Blight: Sclerotium rolfsii
particularly prevalent in onions and shallots. 18. Damping-Off: Pythium spp., Fusarium spp.,
Symptoms: Infected leaves have symptoms rangin g Rhizoctonia solani
from yellow streaks to complete yellowing. Leaves 19. Downy Mildew: Peronospora destructor
tend to flatten, crinkle, twist and bend over (Shiboleth 20. Leaf Necrosis/ Seedling Death: Phytophthora
et al., 2001). Plants may be wilted and dwarfed and nicotianae
bulbs usually remain solid but do not reach their full 21. Leaf Spot: Heterosporium allii, Phyllosticta
size. In seed crops, plants produce smaller flower allii, Cercospora duddiae
clusters and fewer florets. 22. Stemphylium Leaf Blight: Stemphylium
Garlic Mosaic: Garlic yellow streak virus, Leek vesicarium
yellow stripe virus, Garlic yellow stripe virus. 23. Bulb Rot/Black Mold Rot: Aspergillus niger
Garlic mosaic is the common name of a virus disease 24. Yellow Mold Rot: Aspergillus alliaceus
that affects garlic. There are several viruses that infect 25. Blue Mold: Penicillium spp.
garlic and cause this disease, and many of these 26. Rhizopus Rot: Rhizopus stolonifer
pathogens are not yet fully identified or characterized 27. Pink Rot: Phoma terrestris
(Chen et al., 2001). 28. Soft Rot: Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

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29. Watery Soft: Fusarium proliferatum 4. Black Mold Blemish: Aspergillus alliaceous,
30. White Rot: Sclerotium cepivorum A. niger, A. repens, A. sclerotiorum
31. White Tip: Phytophthora porri 5. Shrivelled Bulb Rot: Rhizopus oryzae
32. Sclerotium Rot: Corticium rolfsii 6. White Rot: Sclerotium cepivorum
33. Rust: Puccinia asparagi (0, I, II, III), P. allii (P. 7. Botrytis Rot: Botrytis porri
porri) (II, III) 8. Penicillium Decay: Penicillium hirsutum
34. Smut: Urocystis cepulae, U. colchici 9. Rust: Puccinia allii
35. Twister: Colletotrichum gloeosporium 10. Powdery Mildew: Oidiopsis spp.
36. Black Stalk Rot: Stemphylium botryosum 11. Dwarfing: Onion yellow dwarf virus, Leak
37. Yeast Soft Rot: Kluyveromyces marxianusvar. yellow stripe virus, Garlic common latent virus
marxianus 12. Mosaic/Stripe: Garlic yello w streak virus,
38. Bacterial Leaf Blight: Xanthomonas campestris, Leek yellow stripe virus, Garlic yello w stripe
X. axonopodis, Pantoea ananatis virus, Leak yellow strip virus, Iris yello w spot
39. Xanthomonas Leaf Blight: Xanthomonas virus, Irish yello w spot virus, Japanese garlic
axonopodis pv. allii virus (Virus A, B and D), Garlic common latent
40. Bacterial Rot/Slippery Skin: Pseudomonas virus.
gladioli pv. alliicola, P. cepacia Diseases of Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)
41. Seedling Blight: Pseudomonas siccatum 1. Leaf Blight: Botrytis byssoidea
42. Scale Rot/ Internal Bulb Decay: Enterobacter 2. Downy Mildew: Peronospora destructor
cloacae 3. Rust: Puccinia porri(II, III)
43. Sour Skin: Pseudomonas cepacia 4. Smut: Urocystis cepulae
44. Bacterial Soft Rot: Erwinia carotovora, Dickeya 5. Pink Rot: Phoma terrestris
chrysanthemi, Pectobacterium carotovorum sub Diseases of Leek/Shallot (Allium porrum, Allium
sp. Carotovorum, Lactobacillus spp. ascalonicum) See Onion.
45. Bacterial Leaf Streak and Bulb Rot: 1. White Tip of Leek: Phytophthora porri
Pseudomonas viridiflava 2. Southern Blight: Sclerotium rolfsii
46. Bacterial Yellows: Spiroplasma citri 3. Purple Blotch: Alternaria porri
47. Center/Bulb Rot: Panatoea ananatis 4. Downy Mildew: Peronospora destructor
48. Leaf Blight: Pantoea agglomerans 5. Bulb and Basal Rot: Fusarium culmorum
49. Dwarfing: Onion yellow dwarf virus 6. Fusarium Foot Rot: Fusarium oxysporum
50. Scape Blight: Impatiens necrotic spot virus, Iris 7. Verticillium Wilt: Verticillium dahliae
yellow spot virus 8. Neck Rot/ Gray Mold: Botrytis allii
51. Phytoplasma: Aster yellows, Califo rnia aster 9. Botrytis leaf spot: Botrytis cinerea
yellows, Clover proliferation 10. Leaf blotch: Cladosporium allii-cepa
52. Dodder: Cuscuta spp. 11. Smudge: Colletotrichum circinans
Diseases of Vidalia Sweet Onion (Allium) 12. Leaf Blight: Stemphylium botryosum
1. Downy Mildew: Peronospora destructor 13. Rust: Puccinia porri
2. Bulb Rot: Botrytis tulipae 14. Pleospora Rot: Pleospora herbarum
Diseases of Garlic (Allium sativum) See Onion. 15. Pink Root Rot: Pyrenochaeta
1. Neck Rot/Bulb Rot: Botrytis allii, Fusarium terrestris,Fusarium solani
oxysporum 16. White Rot: Sclerotium cepivorum
2. Internal Bulb Rot: Macrophomina phaseolina 17. Smut: Urocystis cepulae
3. Stemphylium Leaf Blight: Stemphylium 18. Bacterial Blight: Pseudomonas syringae pv.
vesicarium porri

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19. Wilt: Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus rotation away from Allium spp. for several years is an
20. Yellows: Iris yellow spot virus, Aster yellows, essential management tool.
Shallot latent mosaic virus References
21. Stripe: Leek yellow stripe virus Abawi, G.S. and J.W. Lorbeer. 1971. Pathologica l
histology of four onion cultivars infected by Fusarium
22. Dwarf: Onion yellow dwarf virus, Shallot latent oxysporum f. sp. cepae. Phytopathology, 61: 1164–
virus, Shallot virus X 1169.
Integrated Management Approaches Abawi, G.S. and J.W. Lorbeer. 1972. Several aspects
The integrated management of Allium crop diseases of the ecology and the pathology of Fusarium
utilizes many principles of plant diseases control. oxysporum f. sp. cepae. Phytopathology, 62: 870-876.
Resistance lines to most seed, soil, and airborne Aveling, T.A.S. 1998. Purple blotch (Alternaria porri)
diseases presently are not available in commercia l of onion. Recent Research and Development in Plant
cultivars. Crop rotation, soil solarization, biologica l Pathology, 2: 63-76.
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in seed treatments, furrow treatments, seedling dips Watson and E.J. Zurcher. 1996. Plant Viruses Online :
and sprays are procedures extensively used, especially Descriptions and Lists from the VIDE Database.
for onions and garlic. Crop rotation is mainly used to Version: 20th August. http://pvo.bio-
reduce the inoculum level of many pathogens persist in mirror.cn/descr538.htm.
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method for elimination of garlic viral infections (Conc i Diekmann, M. 1997. FAO/IPGRI Technical guidelines
and Nome, 1991). In Alliums, garlic can be affected by for the safe movement of germplasm, No. 18. Allium
over 20 different viruses. Antisera are used to detect spp. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
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Certain onion cultivars resistant to pink root, Fusarium Soil Use and Management, 64: 201.
basal rot and Botrytis brown stain have been reported. Gupta, R.B. and V.N. Pathak. 1988.Yield losses in
If possible, work in clean fields prior to working in onions due to purple leaf blotch disease caused by
fields where infections or infestations have been found. Alternaria porri. Phytophylactica, 20: 21-23.
Additionally, as with any crop, it is important to plant Horst, R.K. 2013. Field Manual of Diseases on Fruits
clean healthy seed. For most of the mentioned diseases and Vegetables. Springer Dordrecht. pp. 115-123.
(basal rot, white rot, downy mildew and nematode ISBN 978-94-007-5974-9 (eBook), DOI 10.1007/978-
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How to cite this article?

Parthasarathy, S., S. Rajamanickam and M.

Muthamilan. 2016. Allium diseases: A global
perspective. Innovative Farming, 1(4): 171-178.

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