Indian onion growers are being advised to take steps against diseases attacking their crop due to adverse weather conditions, which increase the likeliness of fungal or bacterial diseases. Deputy Director of Horticulture Ravindra Hakati said on Thursday 14 January that, diseases are common due to bad weather, unhealthy soil conditions, nutritional imbalances, and unscientific use of chemicals. He recommended farmers to adopt integrated pest management techniques.
“Around 750 hectares to 800 ha are under onion cultivation in the district in the rabi season. Ramdurg, Savadatti and Bailhongal taluks are major onion-growing regions in the district,” Mr. Hakati said.
Common diseases
Common diseases which could attack red and white onions are purple blotch, leaf blight, sooty mold, neck rot and downy mildew. The bacteria spreading these diseases could by managed by spraying 2 milli litres of chlorpyrifos in one litre of water, 2 gm of ‘Kavach’ in one litre of water or one milli litre of ‘Score’ in one litre of water on the crop once a fortnight, depending on the intensity of the disease.
