Rotting foliage on onions and shalottes

[dandelion]

I noticed today that the foliage on my shallots has a grayish mould on it and is dying down  :'(. All onions on shallots on neighbouring plots are similarly affected; on some the foliage has died down completely. I hope this is not the dreaded white rot? The bulbs themselves seem OK, it's just the foliage that looks terrible. It has been very WET!

[dandelion]

[kenkew]

This is white rot,
Plants, apparently growing well, suddenly start to die. Older leaves turn yellow and wilt, and examination will reveal that roots have become stunted or rotten. Seedlings keel over, larger plants can easily be pulled out of the ground, and garlic stems pull away easily from the bulb. A few plants in a small patch may be affected at first, then a whole row may show signs as the problem spreads.

As the disease progresses, a white, cottony-looking fungal growth will be seen around the base and up the side of bulbs, with tiny black globules, like poppy seeds, among the fungus. These are the fruiting bodies of white rot, known as sclerotia.

from 'Grow organic'

[cambourne7]

oh dandelion sorry to hear that !!

I think you need to remove the plants ( bin dont compost ) and replace the soil  :'(

[Fork]

May not be white rot at all.

Did you take any pictures?,all the better for a diagnosis.

It could be mildew.

[OllieC]

It sounds like what I have, dandelion. I've just pulled most of my shallots, dried my rather feeble (but very tasty) garlic and am going to wait until we have normal weather next year before I diagnose it as that. Because the way I see it, anything could be rotting them.

I will be keeping an extra eye out on my leeks for the rest of this year, and being very careful about rotation.

[redimp]

Sounds to me like onion downy mildew:
"Leaves turn dark grey, wither and collapse.  Bulbs may rot in store,  The disease is worst in cool wet seasons ::)"
Survives in the soil for five years so bad - but not as bad as the dreaded white rot.

[dandelion]

Thanks everone. I will take a picture tomorrow for diagnosis and then pull the shallots up. I didn't grow many, only about 15 sets, but I feel sorry for my neighbours who grow lots of onions and shallots. Whatever disease it is, this seems to have spread rapidly from plot to plot.

[dandelion]

It looks like this:


http://plant-disease.ippc.orst.edu/plant_images/OnionDownymildew1.jpg

downy mildew

[Fork]

Said it might be mildew......dont always think the worst.

[Tee Gee]

I think it is mildew and if it is any consolation I have it too.

I have removed the worst affected leaves and sprayed with a fungicide so its fingers crossed.

[PAULW]

DANDELION
Dont panic, if they are spring planted shallots spray with a fungicide and give them a bit of a feed, they will go backwards to start with then they will put on new growth we have this problem on our allotment every year, one solution is to grow overwintering onions and shallots the you will have harvested them before the mould appears.

[cornykev]

My winter onions were very poor, and the shallots look to be as bad, very small compared to last years.  :( :'(