Towards understanding the temporal dynamics of Allium white rot: factors affecting the infectivity of Sclerotium cepivorum sclerotia.

Figure 1: Effect of conditioning at 15°C in soil and drying on germination of S. cepivorum sclerotia from onion bulbs. Testing germination and survival of sclerotia S. cepivorum sclerotia were produced on maizemealsand and onion bulbs. Survival of sclerotia was assessed by squeezing with forceps. Hard / intact sclerotia were viable; collapsed / degraded sclerotia were non-viable. The ability of viable sclerotia to germinate was assessed in an assay using the artificial germination stimulant diallyl disulphide (DADS).