Mildew is one of the most common fungal (ie fungal-borne) diseases in plants, and one of the most troublesome. And it is that our fungus enemies act fast ... and going unnoticed. For this reason, when we realize that something is happening, plant beings are quite -or very- weakened.
Therefore, I am going to tell you what are the symptoms and the treatment of mildew on onion. This way, you will know what to do if your crop is affected.
What is mildew?
Mildew is a disease that, as we said, is caused by fungi, specifically of the genus Phytopthora. These microorganisms They are favored by high relative humidity and mild temperatures between 10 and 30 degrees Celsius, so it is more frequent in spring and autumn than in the rest of the year.
The symptoms and / or damage it causes are:
- Irregular, oily-looking spots on leaves that quickly become necrotic. A whitish fluff will appear around the affected area.
- Brown spots on the stem that get bigger and bigger.
- Brown spots and irregular contour on immature fruits.
How is mildew on onion eliminated and / or prevented?
Transmission
Although the onion is a horticultural crop, which is going to be consumed by humans, the best and most natural way to eliminate mildew is by treating plants with fungicides that contain copper carefully following the indications that will be specified. In severe cases, what you have to do is remove the affected plants and fruits.
Prevention
The best cure is prevention. To prevent onions from getting mildew I advise doing / not doing the following:
- Do not wet leaves or fruits (onions) when watering.
- Plant them at a distance of about 20 centimeters between them.
- Keep the growing area free of wild herbs.
- Fertilize the onions with organic fertilizers once a month.
- Disinfect the soil if there have already been cases of mildew in that field.
Thus, you can continue to enjoy the onions 🙂.