ONION DOWNY MLDEW

Kingdom: Chromista

Phylum: Oomycota

Class: Oonycetes

Order: Peronosporates

Family: Peronosporaceae

Genus: Peronospora

Species: P. destructor

Scientific name: Perosnopora destructor

BACKGROUD INFORMATION

Downy mildew is a major disease of onion. The pathogen persist as mycelium systematically
infecting onion bulbs, but is not known to be transmitted in onion seed. The pathogen can persist
in the soil for several years as oospores. Systematically infected plants are dwarfed and pale
green. Under moist condition the pathogen sporulates on the affected tissues and spreads to other
plants, on the leaves and stalk of which it forms geyish. It affects many plants and appears as
yellow to white patches on the upper surfaces ofolder leaves. These “downy” masses are most
often noticed after rain or heavy dew and disappear soon after sunny weather resumes. As the
disease progresses leaves may eventually turn crips and brown and fall off even though the plant
has ample water.

WHY I AM BAD?

Onion downy mildew commonly starts in spots in the field and subsequently spreads to
surrounding areas. Oval or cylindrical areas of varying sizes develop on infected leaves
and seed stalks. These areas are pale greenish-yellow to brown in color. Symptoms often
appear first on older leaves. If weather conditions are moist and temperatures are low,
masses of gray to violet fungal spores envelop infected leaves, which become girdled,
collapse, and die. The dead leaf tissue is rapidly colonized by purple blotch, which is dark
in color and obscures downy mildew. Downy mildew seldom kills onion plants, but bulb
growth may be reduced. Bulb tissue, especially the neck, may become spongy and the
bulb may lack keeping quality. This disease is one of the most destructive of onion seed
production world-wide.

LIFE CYCLE
The downy mildew fungus can rest in perennial varieties and in infected onion bulbs left
in the field and in cull piles. Resting sexual spores (oospores) may persist in the soil to
infect seedling onions planted the following season. During the onion growing season the
fungus produces spores (conidia) that are carried by wind to infect new onion plants.
Spores are produced on nights with high humidity and moderate temperatures (4-25° C)
with an optimum temperature for sporulation of 13° C. The spores mature early in the
morning and are dispersed during the day. They remain viable for about 4 days. For
germination the spores require free water and the optimal temperatures 7-16° C. Rain is
not needed for infection when dew occurs continuously during the night and morning.

After the fungus is established, it completes its life cycle in 11 to 15 days. New spores
infect new plants or leaves. As the upper portion of the onion leaf is killed, the fungus
can infect the next lower part of the leaf. The entire leaf may thus become infected and
die. During favorable environmental conditions the infection may result in a severe
epidemic. During dry weather, the spores usually disappear and the number of lesions
declines. However, the disease cycle recommences when wet, cool weather recurs.

HOW TO CONTROL
The best way to manage the disease is on a preventive basis. Inspect the tips of old onion
leaves twice a week for plants with disease symptoms before initiating a fungicide
application. Downy mildew produces spores in periods with no rain and low to moderate
temperatures at night (<24°C) and with relative humidity 95% between 2:00 AM to 6:00
AM. Infection may occur the night following sporulation if the temperature is 6-22°C and
dew is present on the leaves within the first five hours of darkness for a span of at least 3
hours.

IPM Strategies:

Planting season: Downy mildew can be prevented by planting onions when the weather is
dry and temperatures are over 25° C.
Irrigation

Avoid the use of overhead irrigation. If overhead irrigation is used, apply it early in the
day to allow time for the crop to dry. Downy mildew sporulates at night when the leaves
are wet. Avoid damp growing conditions and maintain good soil drainage.

ONION MAGGOT

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Insecta

Order: Diptera

Family: Anthomyiidae

Genus: Delia

Species: D. antiqua

Scientific name: Delia antiqua

BACKGROUD INFORMATION

Onion root maggot flies are rather delicate, hump-backed gray-brown flies, about 5-7 mm
long. Onion, seed corn and cabbage maggot flies are difficult to distinguish with the
naked eye, but each will only be found on and near their appropriate crop family. Onion
maggot has an ash-grey body resembles a housefly. The male has a longitudinal stripe on
the abdomen which is lacking in the female. The legs are black, the wings are transparent,
and the compound eyes are brown.

WHY I AM BAD?

When eggs hatch, larvae feed on roots and can cause complete destruction of the root
system. In onions, newly hatched larvae crawl behind the leaf sheath and enter the bulb,
and feed on the roots, stem, and developing bulb. Feeding damage also encourages entry
of soft rot pathogens.
 LIFE CYCLE

HOW TO CONTROL
Biological Controls:

Fungi: Naturally-occurring fungal diseases occasionally will reduce onion maggot

numbers significantly, particularly when flies are abundant and relative humidity is high.
During a fungal epidemic dead, diseased flies can be seen clinging tothe highest parts of
plants along field edges.

Beetles: Predaceous ground beetles which eat onion maggot eggs, larvae and pupae can
also be important in reducing maggot numbers. Because these soil-inhabiting beetles are
susceptible to insecticides, broadcast soil insecticide treatments should be avoided
whenever possible.

Nematodes: Soil application of the entomopathogenic nematode Steinernema feltiae has

shown efficacy against cabbage maggot in trials even at low soil temperatures
50°F/10°C) Apply by suspending infective juvenile nematodes in water and treating
transplants prior to setting in the field (as a spray or soaking drench), or in transplant
water used in the water wheel transplanter, as a drench after transplanting, or a
combination of pre-plant and post-plant applications. Post-plant treatments are likely to
be needed if maggot flight begins >1 week after transplanting. Rates of 100,000 to
125,000 infective juveniles per transplant have been shown to be needed to achieve
reduction in damage. Nematodes need a moist soil environment to survive.

ONION THRIPS

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Insecta

Order: Thysanoptera

Family: Thripidae

Genus: Thrips

Species: T.tabaci

Scientific name: Thrips tabaci

BACKGROUD INFORMATION

Onion thrips have been found in most countries throughout the world.

Onion thrips are extremely polyphagous. They inhabit leaves, shoots, and flowers of
many plants. It prefers to feed on onions, but feeds on many field crops, vegetables,
various flowers, and bedding plants. It may cause heavy damage to chrysanthemums and
carnations.

WHY I AM BAD?

Generally feeding of onion thrips cause yellowing or dropping of leaves, buds, or

flowers. High infestation results in stunted growth, brown blisters, white blotches, silvery
whitish areas or feeding scars. Young terminal leaves frequently show malformation
when heavily attacked, with crinkly surfaces, sunken and raised thin areas, marginal
erosion, margin curling inwardly, and a chlorotic yellowish appearance with grayish
color along all large veins. Young buds may be killed as soon as they come out. In
addition, they freely feed within flowers, attacking the tender portions.

LIFE CYCLE
Onion thrips have six to ten generations depending on temperature. Adults and larvae
overwinter in the soil or plant litter on the ground. Pupae and pre-pupae overwinter in the
soil. The average length of development is: 6 to 8 days for eggs, 10 to 14 days for larvae,
5 to 9 days for pre-pupae and pupae, and about 20 days for a generation. It may take as
long as 35 days for a generation if temperature is at 15 C. The lower developmental
threshold is about 11.5 C and using this threshold as a base, development required 191
degree days. Adults reproduce parthenogenically throughout the season, rarely reproduce
sexually and resulting m that most adults in the field are female. The average adult life is
around 32 days, and pre-oviposition, oviposition and post-oviposition periods are 6.1,
22.5, and 3.9 days, respectively. The average number of eggs laid by an unmated female
is 37.4 (20 to 200).

Eggs: The eggs are very small, about 0.2 mm long, kidney shaped, and white. They are
deposited within plant tissues.

Larvae: The first instar larva is white, about 0.35 to 0.38 mm long. The second instar
larva is yellowish, about 0.7 to 0.9 mm long.

Pupae and Pre-pupae: The pupa and pre-pupa are similar to the second instar larvae in
color and shape, except for having small wing pads.

Adults: Adult females of onion thrips are about 1.1 to 1.2 mm long, yellow, with
brownish blotches on the thorax and the median portion of abdomen. Antennae are gray
with the first segment lighter than other segments. Males are rare.

HOW TO CONTROL
The application of chemical insecticides is the common control measure. The onion
thrips problem in an integrated pest management program can be solved by using
selective pesticides or by using selective treatments such as soil drenches. A combination
of selective chemical insecticides and a predaceous mite in the genus Amblyseius (Acari:
Phytoseiidae) have been successfully used to control this thrips.

REFERENCES:

References:

Cerna O., S. Kline, W. Kline, D. Ramírez. M. Gaskell. 1994. Guía Sobre Producción de Cebolla para
Exportación. Fundación Hondureña de Investigación Agriacute;cola. San Pedro Sula. Honduras.

Hoffmann M. P., C. H. Petzoldt and A. C. Frodsham. 1996. Integrated Pest Management for
Onions. New York State IPM Program Publication No. 119.

Lorbeer J and J. Andaloro. 1984. Diseases of Onions. Downy Mildew. NYSAES, Geneva, NY. Page
737.20.

Tropical Development and Research Institute. 1986. Pest Control in Tropical Onions. Tropical
Development and Research Institute. College House. Wrights Lane. London. UK.

http://web.entomology.cornell.edu/shelton/veg-insects-global/english/dmildew.html

https://ag.umass.edu/vegetable/fact-sheets/onion-maggot