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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Pullman, Washington » Plant Germplasm Introduction and Testing Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #144818
Title: FIRST REPORT OF FUSARIUM PROLIFERATUM CAUSING ROT OF GARLIC BULBS IN NORTH AMERICA

Author
item Dugan, Frank
item Hellier (ctr), Barbara
item Lupien, Shari

Submitted to: Plant Pathology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/17/2003
Publication Date: 7/1/2003
Citation: DUGAN, F.M., HELLIER, B.C., LUPIEN, S.L. FIRST REPORT OF FUSARIUM PROLIFERATUM CAUSING ROT OF GARLIC BULBS IN NORTH AMERICA. PLANT PATHOLOGY. 2003. v. 52 p. 426.

Interpretive Summary: A number of species of Fusarium can attack bulbs of Allium, primarily garlic and onion. Attacks by some species of Fusarium are more frequently reported than attacks by other species. Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cepae and Fusarium culmorum are well documented as causing problems on garlic. There have been relatively few reports of disease of Allium caused by Fusarium species in section Liseola, whose members tend to produce small spores in chains. One member of Liseola, F. proliferatum, has been reported on onion in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) where it can have a serious impact, but it has not previously been reported on garlic in the PNW. Because F. proliferatum is documented as producing mycotoxins, because disease pressure can be severe, and because disease etiology is currently unknown, documentation of instances of F. proliferatum attacking garlic is strongly warranted.

Technical Abstract: Fusarium proliferatum is reported for the first time as an agent of bulb rot of garlic in North America. The fungus was capable of rotting bulbs in actively growing plants and also rotted cured garlic bulbs. In 2002, the mycotoxins produced by this fungus were detected in garlic in Germany. F. proliferatum has been previously documented as producing bulb rot of onion in the Pacific Northwest, but control measures specific to this fungus are unknown. Isolates causing disease in garlic can also rot onion.