Many of my stored onions have black powdery patches under the skin near the neck. What is this and how do I prevent it?
How to control black mould (Aspergillus) on stored onion (pyaaz) bulbs?
KKailas Patil5 महीने पहले · 284 व्यू
4 जवाब
🌾Farmer.in Krishi Teamविशेषज्ञ ✓5 महीने पहले
That black powder is usually black mould, often Aspergillus niger, which gets in through poorly cured necks and wounds and spreads in warm, humid storage. It is largely a storage and curing problem rather than something you spray away in store. Prevent it by curing the bulbs properly so the necks are fully dry and tight, harvesting at the right maturity, and avoiding bruising during handling. Keep the store cool, dry and well ventilated because warmth and moisture drive the mould. Do not store wet, thick necked or damaged bulbs, and remove any infected ones quickly so it does not spread to the rest of the stack. For seed and field stage management against onion diseases, follow KVK recommended seed treatment and clean field practices.
PPandurang Patil5 महीने पहले
I found field sun scald was feeding my black mould. When I left bulbs in direct hot sun during curing, the scalded patches turned black in store. Shading the bulbs with the tops during field curing cut it down a lot.
AAshok Girase5 महीने पहले
Handle gently at every step. The mould kept entering through the cuts and bruises from rough emptying of bags for me. Once I stopped throwing the bulbs and sorted out every damaged one before stacking, the black patches reduced clearly.
YYuvraj Patil5 महीने पहले
Air movement was my fix. In a closed humid room the black mould spread fast, but in the open slatted chawl with cross air it was much less. Stacking too deep also trapped warmth in the middle, so I keep the heaps shallower now and check them regularly.