Onion diseases and treatment - how to fight quickly and effectively? Pests of onions and their control. How to treat onions against pests? How to get rid of onion pests

When growing onions, you must adhere to strict recommendations, as this plant can be destroyed by harmful insects. When the first signs appear, crops should be treated using traditional methods. In the article we will look at what pests of onions and methods of combating them.

The main pests of onions in the country. Onion fly

The main pests that affect onion plantings include:

• onion fly;
• secretive beetle;
• onion hoverfly;
• root mite;
• mole cricket;
• onion moth;
• stem nematode;
• winter and potato cutworms;
• Trips.

Characteristic signs of damage to onions by onion flies include rotting and yellowing of the feathers. If no action is taken, the affected plants will die. At the end of spring, the larvae penetrate inside and infect soft tissues. Secretive beetles trim the feathers, laying larvae in the bulb, which eat the soft tissues of the plant. The onion hoverfly leads to rotting of the bulb as a whole, and the root mite penetrates inside, gnawing through the rhizome of the bulb. The earth mole cricket gnaws through the feathers and roots of the plant, damaging the young onion.

TO distinctive features Damage to onions caused by the onion fly is rotting and yellowing of the feathers.

Onion moth caterpillars burrow into the middle of leaves, feeding on the tissue, causing the feathers to dry out and die. Stem nematode worms infect leaf parts, spoil and wrinkle the onion head, and cutworm caterpillars gnaw young shoots at the soil surface. Potato cutworms feed on leaves and eat soft tissue, creating large cavities in the bulb. Trips can be recognized by the affected leaf plates: silver spots and black dots on the feathers.

Check out the basics of onions in the garden in our infographic.

(click to enlarge)

Folk ways to fight onion flies

The onion fly is similar in appearance to a regular one, but up to 1 cm long and gray in color, and the larvae are white without legs and a clearly defined head. They overwinter shallowly in the ground, and with the onset of warm weather they lay eggs on the first shoots between the leaf blades. The larvae appear after 5-7 days; they enter the middle of the onion head, feeding on the soft tissues.

As a result, the crop rots, the leaves turn yellow, and after 2-3 weeks the larvae crawl out to form a cocoon. After another two weeks, a fly appears, it especially affects a plant planted at a late time.

The main pest control measures include:

• rotation of agricultural crops;
• planting early ripening varieties;
• planting close to carrots, since the specific carrot aroma repels harmful flies;
• watering with dissolved table salt without getting it on the feathers. To prepare the solution, dissolve 200 grams of salt in 10 liters of water, water for the first time when the feathers grow 5 cm, the next time every three weeks;
• spraying with special preparations. A lime mixture with the addition of tobacco dust in a 1:1 ratio repels perfectly, and the amount is calculated based on the planting area (10 grams per 1 m²). A sand mixture with naphthalene in a ratio of 10:1 is also used.

Secretive beetle and methods of destruction

Secretive proboscis beetles are up to 2.5 mm long with a thin and long rostrum. The larvae are light yellow in color, without legs, up to 7 mm long. They overwinter under the remains of plants on the side of roads, and with the onset of spring they gnaw holes in the leaf blades and eat the pulp. Important: characteristic feature is the presence of white spots on the surface of the plates.

To combat the secretive proboscis beetle, it is necessary to promptly remove infected crops and onion feathers. Infestation can cause feathers to turn yellow and dry out.

Female beetles lay eggs inside the plate; after 15 days, larvae appear, feeding on the soft tissues without disturbing the integrity of the leaf. One onion feather can contain up to a dozen larvae, which eventually turns yellow and dries. After another 20 days, the larvae crawl out and form pupae, from which beetles emerge. They eat plantings, and with the onset of cold weather they go away for the winter.

Folk methods and measures to combat such a pest include the following:

• pruning and burning of infected crops while simultaneously watering and fertilizing;
• loosening the area during the formation of pupae;
• collection of plant waste with subsequent destruction.

Onion hoverfly infestation

A characteristic feature of this pest is a green body with a bronze tint and two gray stripes on the back. The larvae are gray-yellow in color, grow up to 1 cm and have a flat bottom. They overwinter in the ground or on bulbs and begin to fly in July. The female lays eggs on onion feathers or the ground near the onion in small groups, and larvae appear 10-12 days later. They eat soft tissue, penetrating inside the onion. As a rule, the inside of the onion becomes rotten; the hoverfly penetrates it from below, which distinguishes it from the onion fly. After approximately 20 days, the larvae form pupae (the next generation), which begin to fly in August. They are fought in the same ways as onion flies.

Root mite and traditional methods of destruction

Small root mites affect onions not only during growth, but also during storage. The mite has an oval body up to 1 mm long and 8 legs. In winter they are found in plant waste, penetrate deep into the soil, and in spring they infect nearby plants. If there are onion crops nearby, the mite infects the bulb from below, gradually turning it into dust, as a result of which the plant begins to rot or dry out.

Root mite infestation occurs due to improper storage, when the temperature is more than +12 degrees, which is a favorable condition for mite reproduction

The female root mite lays eggs under the scales of the plant, especially during storage under unfavorable conditions (temperatures above +12°C and high humidity). Several generations of ticks can grow in a year.

• rotation of crop sowing;
• processing onion heads before planting. To do this, the onion heads must be kept in hot water approximately 10 minutes;
• harvesting in dry weather;
• storage and sowing with the addition of a mixture of dry chalk;
• autumn digging of the soil with the destruction of plant waste.

Mole cricket and onion moth

The mole cricket is an omnivorous pest; it is a brown insect up to 5 cm long, whose front legs have incisors for digging the ground. It eats not only the roots, but also the stems, making passages in the ground, damaging the crop. There is a nest of the pest in the ground at a depth of 15 cm, in which it lays eggs, and the larvae appear after 21 days. A particularly favorable environment for the mole cricket is greenhouse conditions and abundant watering. To get rid of it, you should adhere to proper crop rotation, remove weeds in a timely manner and dig up the soil in the fall.

The caterpillars of a dark brown butterfly are yellowish-green in color, up to 1 cm long. The insects spend the winter in plant waste, and with the arrival of warmth, they lay eggs on the leaf plates and after a week the caterpillars penetrate into the middle without violating the integrity of the skin. For control, fertilizers are applied and the same methods are used as for the destruction of root mites.

Methods for destroying stem nematodes

This is a small thread-like worm. In winter, it is found in onion heads, seeds or soil, and if onions are planted in untreated soil, the stem nematode penetrates the tissue and lays eggs there.

The pest feeds on onion juice, it grows slowly, and too affected seedlings die. The leaves become deformed, they turn yellow over time, and the bulb becomes soft due to the damaged cavity between the internal scales. Attention: the peak of the disease occurs in last month summer, continuing to attack onions during storage.

To combat the nematode, the following preventive methods are used: Storing only healthy tubers; Weed control; Use of mineral fertilizers.

The fight against stem nematode involves careful selection of healthy bulbs and their improvement before planting, and onions can be replanted in this area no earlier than after 4-5 years.

Tip #1. In order to improve the health of the onion, you should keep it in hot water (45°C) for 10-15 minutes, and at a temperature of 50°C the time can be reduced to 5-7 minutes. Important: small onion heads are best disinfected at a temperature of 45°C.

Methods of dealing with cutworms and cutworms

Cutworms are inconspicuous butterflies whose caterpillars infest the roots and tops of plants. Eggs are laid at the end of summer, which after winter turn into larvae and caterpillars that actively attack the bulbs.

In order to get rid of them, you should regularly destroy weeds, loosen the soil and dig it up in the fall. You can also use traditional methods, namely, treat with a decoction of wormwood or an infusion of white mustard.

To prepare a decoction of wormwood, you need to boil 1 kg of herb in three liters of water for 20 minutes, and then treat the area 2 times with a break of 7 days. To prepare mustard infusion, dissolve 2 g of powder in a glass of water and leave for two days, and then dilute to one liter.

Thrips eat almost all plants and, at the same time, are carriers of onion-hazardous

Some of the most dangerous pests for onions are tobacco and onion pests. This is a whole group of small harmful insects that are inconspicuous and suck the juice from the plant, bending the stem and softening the bulb.

It is necessary to fight against triplets even before sowing, for which you need to dig up the soil well and destroy all plant residues, and treat the soil in the greenhouse with karbofos after harvesting.

Tip #2. IN summer period Loosening the soil between the beds helps a lot in order to effectively destroy the tripe pupae, and not severely affected onions can be treated with a decoction of celandine, mustard infusion, tobacco or hot pepper.

For example, 1 kg of hot pepper is boiled for one hour in 10 liters of water, after which it is infused for one day and poured into dark bottles. Before use, dilute 125 ml of tincture in 10 liters and spray the affected plants.

Answers to frequently asked questions

Question No. 1. What folk remedies effectively destroy secretive proboscis beetles?

Folk methods such as mustard powder, ground black pepper and wood ash, which are sprinkled between onion beds, help to cope with this pest.

Question No. 2. When should you spray affected onions?

It is better to spray onion plantings in the evening, in calm weather, when it is not hot outside. To achieve maximum effectiveness, crops should be treated at the beginning of the infection period and the procedure should be repeated periodically.

Question No. 3. How to get rid of harmful butterflies using calendula?

To destroy harmful butterflies in onion beds, pharmaceutical calendula is used. To do this, you need to infuse 100 grams of flower seeds in 5 liters of water for two days, and then spray the onions.

Question No. 4. How to choose the right onions for planting and is additional disinfection necessary?

Yes, additional onion processing is necessary. This prevents infection of crops and loss of the entire crop. Before planting, in addition to carefully selecting the bulbs, they should be kept in hot water at a temperature of 45°C for 10 minutes and at 50°C for 5 minutes.

Question No. 5. Is it true that alder scares away mole crickets?

Yes its true. To do this, you need to insert alder branches between the onion beds at a distance of 1 m from each other, periodically replacing them with fresh ones.

4 Common Mistakes Gardeners Make in Pest Control

Sometimes gardeners make typical mistakes when growing onions, they are discussed in the table.

The main mistakes gardeners make when controlling pests	How to fight (methods)
no crop rotation	It is necessary to adhere to crop rotation, which avoids damage to crops by pests
improper storage	You can store onions in the basement at a temperature no higher than 5°C; before that, they are stored in well-ventilated areas
overwatering	Onions are watered abundantly only at the beginning of growth, and 3 weeks before harvesting, watering is stopped completely. This provides long-term storage without bulb rotting
burial in the ground	When planting bulbs, they are buried into the soil no more than 1 cm, which will ensure growth and long-term storage.

Fungal diseases of onions are widespread, and every summer resident may need their treatment. We have also prepared for you a catalog with photos and descriptions: “The main pests of onions and their control.” Correct crop rotation, prevention, drug influence and folk recipes will help you grow a healthy and generous harvest.

Onion diseases are often associated with non-compliance with the rules of crop rotation and agricultural technology. This crop belongs to the lily family, therefore, like other representatives of the species, it needs to take all necessary measures to protect it from bacteria and insects.

For the reader's reference

Onion (lat. Allium) is a unique plant that can be biennial or perennial. At the same time, it is classified as a member of the lily family (lat. Liliaceae) according to botanical characteristics: appearance, development and structure of the plant. And to the onion family (lat. Alliaceae) according to production characteristics: harvesting and storage, purpose and method of cultivation. Often when describing a culture, it is classified as a subfamily - Onion.

Onion diseases and their control

The culture is susceptible to many bacterial and viral diseases. To prevent them from destroying the crop, it is necessary to study onion diseases and their treatment; photos and descriptions of the signs of infection that we have prepared will help you quickly determine the type of infection. There are various chemical preparations, but traditional recipes are no less effective.

Downy mildew (lat. Peronospora parasitica)

A disease such as downy mildew (popularly) is called onion downy mildew; control measures that every gardener should know. External signs infections are:

• wilting of leaves;
• the presence of vague pale spots with a gray tint on the feathers;
• plaque formation on leaves;
• gradual yellowing of greenery and its drying out.

Such diseases of green onions, photo below in the article, most often appear in the spring. Starting from the feathers, the fungus gradually spreads into the fruit, affecting the entire plant. The cause of infection is poor-quality planting material or non-compliance with crop rotation rules. Onion sets affected by downy mildew can retain fungal spores until the next sowing season.

The disease actively develops at high air humidity and moderate temperature, +15-20 degrees Celsius, and under unfavorable conditions it does not die, but only stops its development.

Planting must be done from north to south. Thus, each plant will be sufficiently illuminated by the sun. When the first signs of downy mildew are detected, it is necessary to remove the affected shoots. When growing onions for turnips, you can spray with Oxyx, 2 tablets of 10 g per 10 liters of liquid. The procedure is carried out every 2 weeks.

If you are growing onions for feathers, chemical treatment unacceptable. In this case, it is necessary to stop fertilizing with organic matter and limit watering for a while. It is recommended to treat the beds with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers. For prevention purposes, it is recommended to warm up harvested for 12 hours at a temperature of +40 degrees Celsius before storing. The seedlings are treated in a similar way a couple of weeks before planting. The storage room is disinfected with bleach (0.4 kg per 10 liters of water) 2 months in advance.

Gray rot (lat. Botrytis cinerea)

This disease of onions in the garden, like gray rot, begins to develop even when harvesting last year's harvest. Spores of the Botrytis fungus most often penetrate the vegetable through the neck of the onion that has not yet closed during drying. The first signs of the disease become visible already during crop storage:

• the fruits begin to deteriorate at the base of the neck: gray rot becomes visible on the surface;
• when pressing on the bulb near the neck, the tissue is crushed;
• In the section, the affected layers of the onion are visible: they are soft, cloudy, often gray, reminiscent of boiled onions.

During storage, healthy fruits can become infected with spores through damage to the surface caused during harvesting or by insects. Favorable conditions for the development of the fungus: high humidity in the storage and high temperature.

During the growing period, the beds are treated with Kvardis, Bravo and Switch, strictly according to the instructions. Struggle traditional methods consists of artificially accelerating the ripening of fruits. Limiting nitrogen fertilizing and increasing potassium-phosphorus fertilizing contributes to the rapid development and premature drying of leaves, due to which the neck closes faster.

Bacteriosis (lat. Bacteriosis)

Like gray rot, the disease manifests itself during storage:

• the fruits become soft;
• when cut, rotten brown tissue is visible between healthy scales with traces of fungal development;
• unpleasant odor;
• presence of small flies.

The fungus penetrates into insufficiently dried and damaged bulbs. Methods for combating bacteriosis are similar to gray rot. It is necessary to follow the rules of agricultural technology and crop storage, and remove infected fruits in a timely manner.

Onion pests and their control, photos of signs of damage

Onion pests, photos of which you can find in this article, cause no less trouble than diseases. Insects infect the entire plant and can destroy the entire crop.

Onion fly (lat. Napomyza gymnostoma)

This insect is active starting from mid-May. Elongated brown flies lay eggs between the leaves, and the hatching larvae penetrate the plant itself, feed on it and destroy it. Damaged bulbs rot right in the soil, and the feathers turn yellow and dry out.

Answering the question: how to treat onions against pests, many gardeners advise using the chemical preparations Fly Eater, Aktara or Karate. But it is best to use traditional methods of repelling insects:

• pungent odors: alternating plantings of onions and carrots will help repel the onion fly;
• table salt solution: 0.3 kg per 10 liters of water - watering is carried out every 2-3 weeks;
• Sprinkling the beds with ash is both a fertilizer and protection against pests.

Onion thrips (lat. Thrips tabaci)

Onion (or tobacco) thrips overwinter in the remains of vegetation in the soil, and in the spring they move to young plants. Very small insects Brown birds lay eggs at the base of the feathers, as a result of which silvery spots on the leaves and insect excrement (small black dots) can be seen. Affected plants turn yellow and die.

Chemicals are most often used on industrial plantings, and gardeners recommend repelling insects with the smells of tobacco, ash, carrots and mothballs.

Onion mite (lat. Rhizoglyphus echinopus)

Onion root mite infects plants during growing and storage. Most often, the spread of insects occurs through infected planting material. The mite and its larvae feed on the roots and the bulb itself, as a result of which the fruits become loose and covered with “dust.”

Pest control of onions with folk remedies involves timely prevention of infection:

• planting material is heated at a temperature of +35-38 degrees Celsius for a week;
• during storage, the mite infects only damaged bulbs: it is necessary to discard low-quality crops;
• You should first of all fight the mite's predecessors - the onion fly.

Prevention of onion diseases and how to repel pests

The most the best way The fight against diseases and pests of onions is prevention:

• Most diseases and pests are transmitted by infected planting material. To do this, the seedlings must be disinfected at high temperature before sowing.
• Almost all onion diseases and pests overwinter in the soil and on plant debris. In the fall, the beds are carefully dug up and disinfected. Under no circumstances should plant residues be used to make compost. You can replant onions in one place only after 4-5 years.
• Proper crop rotation will avoid many diseases. The best predecessors are tomatoes, cucumbers and cabbage.

On a small plot of land you can do without the use of pesticides. To repel unwanted insects, substances and plants with pungent odors are used:

• carrot leaves produce aromatic phytoncides that the onion fly cannot tolerate, so onions and carrots are often planted side by side;
• the beds are sprinkled with wood ash, tobacco dust or its mixture with slaked lime (1:1);
• plantings are sprayed with wormwood infusion.

Bottom line

Caring for onions can cause a lot of trouble for inexperienced gardeners. One of the important conditions for growing a good harvest is the safety and correct storage of planting material for the next season. Otherwise, caring for the crop is very simple if you protect it from pests and infections in a timely manner, which is easy to do if you know onion diseases and how to deal with them.

Onion crops are characterized by good germination and rapid growth. However, the yield may decrease or even die due to diseases and pests. Timely prevention and compliance with planting technology significantly reduces risks. In this article we will examine the main questions of most gardeners: why the tips of the feathers of onions can turn yellow, what pests can spoil the harvest in spring or autumn. And also what to do and how to deal with adversity.

It is not difficult to plant and grow onions in a small plot or on a huge plantation., if you stick to technological process. However, in addition to the planned activities, there may be a need to treat the crop from pests and insects. You should not ignore signs of plant damage, because in just a few days the beds can thin out significantly. But it is quite difficult to cope with an advanced form of the disease or a mass infestation of insects; you cannot do without the use of chemistry. Therefore, it is recommended to include preventative procedures in your onion care schedule to prevent serious problems.

Downy mildew

Downy mildew is one of the types of fungal infection; the pathogen survives well onion skins, seeds. The transition of bacteria to the active phase occurs when favorable conditions are created, which are characterized by high humidity and positive temperature conditions. The disease can be recognized by the following signs:

• the formation of yellowish-green oily spots on the surface of the leaves;
• a gray-violet coating settles under the feathers;
• increase in spot parameters;
• dying of leaves.

Control methods involve treating the crop and the soil underneath it with special or homemade solutions. Among the drugs that have proven themselves well are:

• Fitosporin-M for onions and garlic;
• Gamair;
• Planriz;
• Alirin-B;
• Glyocladin.

2-3 weeks before harvesting root crops, treatment with chemicals should be stopped. To protect plants from powdery mildew, it is recommended to continue spraying, but using folk remedies.

There are also traditional methods that most gardeners prefer:

• a solution of 9 liters of water, 1 liter of low-fat milk, 10 drops of iodine;
• a weak solution (slightly pink) of potassium permanganate;
• infusion of onion peel;
• a mixture of water (9 l) and whey (1 l);
• infusion of ash (half a bucket of ash for 8 liters of boiling water).

Powdery mildew on onions

What does gray rot look like?

The infection persists well on planting material, infecting the soil and, accordingly, the entire crop through loosely closed scales. When you press on the turnip, the skin bends in the neck area, and a gray coating is visible on the surface.

The fight against the disease consists of the following measures:

• disinfection of seedlings before planting;
• soil enrichment with phosphorus-potassium fertilizer;
• timely removal of damaged plants from the plantation;
• moderate watering and control of soil moisture levels;
• proper collection of root crops;
• airing and drying the onions after assembly;
• creating conditions for storing crops;
• periodic bulkheading to remove rotten turnips.

Bacteriosis and its treatment with chemical and folk remedies

At high humidity, and in warm weather, putrefactive bacteria penetrate through the onion scales and infect a healthy fruit.

Rotting can occur directly in the soil, but most often bacteriosis occurs during crop storage. The fruits can be identified simply by their characteristic smell and swollen skin.

Remnants of last year’s fruits can provoke the appearance of harmful bacteria in the soil, so the beds must be dug up after harvesting. Onions are planted in an infected area no earlier than after 4 years.

Fusarium rot and how to get rid of it in spring and autumn

The disease is infectious; the pathogen is located in the soil, where infection occurs. During the development period, the bottoms of the turnips are affected by rot, as a result of which first the greenery dies, then the root part. Among the reasons that provoke the formation of a pathogen in the soil:

• waterlogging during irrigation;
• harvesting in rainy weather;
• late fruit harvesting;
• drought during turnip ripening.

• before planting, the seedlings must be disinfected;
• when choosing seeds, preference should be given to early and mid-ripening species (they are less susceptible to infection);
• observe watering norms, avoid waterlogging of the soil;
• Root crops should be collected in dry weather.

If an affected onion is identified, it should be removed from the garden bed and the soil should be treated with Bordeaux solution (1%).

Bacterial rot of onion seed

Rot often affects turnips when there is excess moisture in the soil. The reason is prolonged rains and the type of soil that prevents the rapid absorption of precipitation. Initially, mold forms in the neck area of ​​the onion, descending over time through the seeds. Such a crop cannot be stored for a long time; the rotting process cannot be stopped.

Turnips are usually not used even for obtaining seeds; such material is affected by a fungus and is not capable of producing good seedlings.

• Before planting, the seedlings must be disinfected;
• Irrigation should be carried out under constant control of the degree of soil moisture;
• regularly clean the beds of affected plants;
• Harvesting should only be done in dry weather;
• ensure proper storage conditions with a temperature range from +5° to +8° and ventilation.

The main pests of onions and protection against them

Not only diseases, but also various pests that prefer to colonize onions can reduce yields.

• Before planting, the sets should be prepared: warmed for several days at a temperature of 23-25°, soaked in a saline solution (1 liter of water per 1 tablespoon of salt) - 3 hours, then repeat the procedure, but in a manganese bath - 2 hours.
• Choose a well-ventilated place for the beds. It is recommended to place onions and carrots next to each other. For both crops, this will provide additional protection from pests.
• Change the location for planting onions every year. In late autumn, when frost sets in, you need to dig up the ground well so that harmful bacteria and larvae die.

If there is a massive invasion of flies on a plantation, it is unlikely that it will be possible to do without chemicals. Among the popular ones: Bazudin, Aktara, Muhoed.

In order not to use chemicals, many gardeners use traditional methods. The most effective are considered:

• a solution based on ammonia (for 10 liters of water take 3 drops of iodine, a tablespoon of ammonia, several crystals of potassium permanganate);
• tincture of fragrant herbs (add several branches of valerian, wormwood, mint to 10 liters of boiling water);
• pine decoction (half a bucket of spruce or pine needles is brewed in 10 liters of water);
• wood ash powder;
• powder of ash, red hot pepper, tobacco leaves.

In addition to the above methods, you can treat the bed with salt at the rate of 300 g of salt per bucket of water. The main thing that should not be forgotten when using this method is to spray the onions with clean water to wash off the salt from the feathers. If the treatment is successful, the flies will stop flying over the onions and will not lay eggs in the beds.

In addition, piperazine helps to cope well with the pest. Used at the rate of 1 package per bucket of water. It is necessary to spray all affected areas.

Pre-sowing treatment of onion sets against onion fly is carried out in early spring. You need to spray the entire garden bed. The zemlyan preparation also helps well in the fight against pests; you can always find out how to apply it in the instructions.

Onion mite and treatment against it

Before planting onions, the soil is fertilized. This is exactly the environment the tick chooses for itself. You can identify an insidious pest in a garden bed by its characteristic features:

• deformation of feathers with the formation of a white coating on them;
• wrinkling of the plant due to loss of moisture;
• formation of mold and mildew.

You should not use pesticides in the fight against ticks. The product is addictive to insects, so the treatment will be ineffective.

For pest prevention purposes, the following methods are used:

• careful sorting of seed during storage;
• preparing seedlings for planting (sorting and warming);
• carrying out disinfection procedures;
• regular treatment of beds with herbal decoctions and nettle infusion.

Onion thrips

To prevent thrips from settling in onion beds, it is recommended to carry out the following measures:

• change the location of planting onions in the garden annually;
• store planting material under proper conditions;
• follow the rules for preparing and planting seedlings;
• removal of all crops and tops from the garden bed;
• digging the soil in late autumn.

How to process onions?

In case of large-scale damage to the plantation, special preparations are used:

• Aktara;
• Fitoverm;
• Karate;
• Spark Gold;
• Zeon et al.

When using chemicals, you should not eat greens.

You can also try traditional methods:

• placing sticky tape for flies between the beds as traps;
• planting a nearby onion plantation of fragrant herbs and marigold flowers;
• spraying with infusion of tobacco leaves (leaf for 3 hours);
• treatment of plants with infusion of celandine leaves (leave for 48 hours).

Reasons why onions turn yellow in the garden and what can be done

Yellow spots on winter onions do not always indicate the presence of diseases or pests. Sometimes the cause may be a lack of nitrogen in the soil. To correct the situation is quite simple - introduce nitrogen-containing fertilizers into the soil. For these purposes, organic and mineral baits can be used. You can also feed green vegetables with ammonia. It is an excellent fertilizer and also helps get rid of flies and other pests.

Water ammonium nitrate must be used with caution according to instructions. In addition, you can water and spray the onions with kerosene. It allows you to protect the crop from onion flies. You need to process the bed using 2 tbsp. kerosene to a bucket of water. This measure will help preserve the harvest and there is no fear of re-infection.

Yellowed feathers may also indicate insufficient crop care. Each variety has its own growing characteristics. When planting different species, few people are interested in the intricacies of growing a particular hybrid. Experienced gardeners recommend that during the selection process you familiarize yourself with the description of the plant and the rules of care.

Unfavorable weather conditions can provoke the formation of yellowness on the batun. As a result of prolonged rains, feathers change color and become deformed. Or, due to too hot summers under the influence of intense sunlight, feathers begin to dry out prematurely. In such cases, plants can be helped by covering them with film or agrofibre. Treatment in in this case not required. You need to fertilize the vegetable as usual.

Early diagnosis of the problem will help save not only the crop, but also prevent soil infection. There is no point in delaying treatment, because pests and diseases destroy plants very intensively.

The main condition for obtaining a healthy harvest of onions and garlic is compliance with crop rotation. You cannot return lily crops (onions, garlic) to their original bed earlier than after 4-5 years.

Before storing onions and garlic, you need to disinfect the storage 2 months in advance with a solution of bleach (400 g per 10 liters of water). Before planting, it is recommended to warm the sets with warm air (40°-42°) for 10 hours.

: on different types In plants, signs of disease can manifest themselves in different ways. This could be rotting of the head of cabbage, cobwebs on the underside of the leaves, white coating on root crops, rotting of the bottom of the onion...The disease is often common in storage areas. The disease is especially evident on lettuce, parsley, cucumber, carrots, horseradish, cabbage, peppers, beans, onions, and sunflowers.

: harmful centipede - an insect pest similar to a long-legged mosquito, with a body length of up to 2.5 cm. The larvae of the centipede overwinter in the soil. In the spring, they begin to feed on the humus of plant roots, damaging them in the garden and greenhouses, causing great harm to young plants. The harmful fat stalk damages cabbage, celery, leeks and other vegetable plants in the garden.

Diseases and pests of onions and garlic

To grow healthy onions and garlic, you need to know what diseases and pests of onions and garlic can threaten healthy and tasty vegetables. In this article we have collected information on how to deal with major pests and how to preserve the crop. It must be said that these so healthy and tasty plants often suffer from stem nematodes. A nematode is a small worm that likes to lay its eggs in the roots of plants. This causes the onion heads to begin to crack and the garlic to begin to disintegrate into cloves. Plant leaves are subject to deformation. Onion processing before planting. To disinfect onion sets from nematodes before planting, planting material must be soaked for two days in an aqueous solution of salt at the rate of 3 tbsp. spoons into a bucket of water. Fighting onion diseases In the photo, the onion fly affects the onion like this. The onion fly is considered an equally dangerous pest of garlic and onions. The larvae of this insect penetrate into the bulb itself through the bottom or at the very base of the leaves, which usually leads to the death of the bulbs. Typically, the onion fly infestation begins in the spring, and it coincides with the cherry blossoms. 20 days after the eggs are laid, the larvae hatch from them, go deep into the ground and pupate there. They are replaced by young flies, and everything is repeated all over again. How to grow a good onion crop To grow a healthy vegetable, you need to correctly take into account the timing of the appearance of onion flies. You can save onions by promptly repelling pests with tobacco dust mixed with ash, taken in equal proportions. This powder (tobacco dust with ash) must be pollinated (treated) between the rows of plants. In addition, it is advisable to sow carrots next to the onions, since the phytoncides released by carrots can repel the onion fly. In turn, onion phytoncides prevent the appearance of carrot flies. If possible, plant marigolds nearby. An attentive gardener and gardener can avoid the next misfortune in the struggle for the harvest. Damage to onions and garlic by downy mildew This vegetable disease is especially relevant during the rainy season. Vague spots begin to appear on the leaves of plants, which gradually begin to increase in size, forming a gray coating, which is fungal spores. These spores can fly away with gusts of wind in different directions, infecting other plants. Methods for processing and protecting onions and garlic from downy mildew. In order to prevent diseases, it is necessary to warm up the seed stock before sowing at high temperatures. So onion sets are heated in the spring at 45 degrees Celsius for half a day. In the villages, I heat the onions on the stove (meaning the upper chambers of the village stove). You can spray the plants with whey diluted in water (as you can do below in the text). Increased feeding of plants with super phosphate fertilizers. How to treat onions against pests: folk methods for downy mildew Using Bordeaux mixture helps a lot. However, in this case it is necessary to spray the plants at least 3 weeks before harvesting. Can be sprayed with serum Everyone has dairy products in their home; do not throw away sour milk or fermented milk whey from kefir. Lactic acid bacteria have a negative effect on the powdery mildew pathogen and at the same time do not harm plants. Recipe for onion diseases - powdery mildew: a spray product is made from fermented milk whey separated from dairy products. Let's take it cold water and dilute its serum in a ratio of 1:8 -1 to 10. Stir until smooth. Pour the prepared solution into spray containers. Now you can treat the plants in the morning or evening. Harvesting and storing onions and garlic To prevent neck rot of onions, you must try to remove the vegetable immediately after it ripens, without delaying this matter. After the neck begins to dry out and the feathers fade, this is your signal - you need to start harvesting. After the onions and garlic are dug up, they are dried in the wind and sun for 3-4 days, usually left directly on the ridges. Of course, it is better to choose a sunny day in August for harvesting. Remove the soil from the garlic gently, shaking it off with your hands; you must try not to damage the scales (the quality of storage and resistance to disease depend on them). These medicinal vegetable crops need to be dried in the sun; you can move them closer to home and spread the onions and garlic on oilcloth. The remaining leaves should be trimmed. Trim the onion so that the tail of the vegetable remains approximately 3 cm. Store harvested onions and garlic< надо в картонных коробках или корзинах в прохладном, но сухом помещении. Также сплетают их в " косы" и подвешивают в кладовых, при этом уберегая от холода и влаги. Find out more about the increasingly popular, very healthy vegetable daikon Read our other useful article about ways to combat plant pests: Marigolds - protecting plants from pests Nowadays, coupons for discounts for various entertainment and health activities and products are of great interest among Internet users. To navigate where and what kind of discount promotion is taking place, there are specialized discount sites. Any resident or guest of Perm and other regions can receive discount coupons in Perm on the discount website Couponator. ©foto-flora.ru

Onions suffer from onion fly damage from year to year. The first flight of the fly is observed when the dandelions bloom. At this time, a repellent is used - watering with ammonia (1 tablespoon per bucket of water).

This event is held every week. The onion bed must be moved to a different place every year; the best predecessor is carrots.

Pre-planting treatment of the sets helps onions to grow healthy - heating them in the sun several hours before planting, soaking them in hot strong potassium permanganate, and then dusting them with ash. You can dust the onions with bazudine, but under no circumstances use such onions on feathers - the drug is poisonous.

As soon as the bow emerges from the ground, the secretive proboscis attacks. The feather becomes pale, and the larvae of the secretive proboscis settle inside it. For prevention, you need to constantly sprinkle the onion with ash, cut off the affected feather and destroy it.

Onion fly (Delia antiqua Mg.) and hoverfly (Eumerus strigatus Fall.) - dangerous pests onion plants that damage the underground parts of onions, spring onions, leeks, shallots, and garlic. The pests are common in all areas where onion plants are grown and are especially harmful on sandy and loamy soils, as well as in garden plots during continuous cultivation. The onion fly overwinters in the puparia (a pupa in a reddish-brown, shiny cocoon, about 7 mm long) in the soil on depth from 10 to 20 cm.

The flight of the first generation flies begins in early May at a sum of effective temperatures of 103-141°C (this coincides with the flowering of lilacs) and lasts 30-40 days. The flies are ash-gray, with a distinct brownish longitudinal line on the abdomen.

Flies emerging after overwintering feed on nectar flowering plants. 5-10 days after departure, females lay eggs (5-12 pieces each) near plants, in cracks in the soil, between the bulb and the soil, openly on the soil, leaves, in the axils of the leaves and between dry scales of the bulb.

After 4-6 days, at an air temperature of 18.5-21.5°C and a relative air humidity of 65-75%, the larvae hatch. The adult larva is white, legless, narrowed in front and widened at the rear end, up to 10 mm long.

On the obliquely cut segment there are two spiracles, and along the edges there are 16 small outgrowths (tubercles), of which the most noticeable are the 4 lower middle outgrowths. Of all types of onions, female onion flies prefer onions.

Moreover, the plants of the first generation are the most populated. In nigella crops for sowing, egg laying is already observed, starting from the phase of 2-3 true leaves. The larvae hatched from the eggs bore into the underground part of the bulb and damage the conducting bundles of the plant.

If there is not enough food for the further development of the larva, it moves to a neighboring plant. In damaged plants, the bulbs rot, the leaves turn yellow, wither and dry out. Plants are easily pulled out of the soil.

On onions of the second year of development (turnip sowing), at the beginning of the growing season, the fly lays eggs mainly on the soil and onion, and as the plants develop, in the axils of the leaves and openly on the leaves. The hatched larvae migrate to the plant and actively penetrate into it either through the bottom or through the neck.

In this case, the former feed on the tissues of the bottom (false stem), the latter - on the tissues of fleshy scales and leaves. Regardless of the type of damage, onion sets die when only 1-2 larvae penetrate the plant.

The same thing is observed on onion plants (especially in the first half of the growing season), if their growing point is damaged. The first generation larvae damage onions in May - June. Their development lasts about 20 days.

Then, having finished feeding, they emerge from the bulb into the soil and pupate in it. At the end of June - in the first half of July, the years of the second generation of flies begin. There are few of them, since a significant part of individuals (up to 35%) of the first generation go into diapause.

The onion fly develops in two generations. Greatest harm plants are infested with onion fly larvae early stages development.

As a result of the research, it was established that all types and varieties of onions are colonized and damaged by phytophages to one degree or another during the growing season. But the main type of onion that is largely damaged by dipterous pests is onion.

Sweet varieties of onions (Yalta local, Orange), which have a minimum dry matter content (6-9.7%) and essential oil(0.018-0.025%). On the crops of these varieties, the maximum number of eggs laid is noted - 14.8-18.2 eggs/plant.

On spicy varieties(Strigunovsky, Skvirsky, Zolotisty) with a high content of dry matter (up to 18%) and essential oil (up to 0.05%), the number of eggs laid per plant and damage by onion fly is 3-4 times lower compared to sweet onion varieties . The peninsular varieties Lugansky and Karatalsky with an average content of secondary substances occupy an average position, the damage of which is about 26%.

Research has shown that, depending on the number of nests in the bulb, onion varieties with 1-2 nests were less colonized and damaged by the onion fly. Thus, the crops of multi-nest shallots with 6-7 nests were almost half infested with pests, and their damage was at the level of 40.5%.

At a time when the population of small and medium-sized onion varieties was at the level of 20.5-28.0%, and the damage was 10-21.6%. This indicates that onion fly larvae can leave damaged plants and crawl onto others only when the plants are very close to each other.

Onion hoverfly. The fly is 7-10 cm long, shiny, greenish-bronze, with three semilunar spots on the top of the abdomen. The male differs from the female in having larger eyes that almost touch at the base of the antennae.

The pest overwinters in the pupa stage (puparia) in the soil at a depth of 10-25 cm and in the larval stage (middle and older ages) in the plant remains of mother bulbs, as well as in planting material stored for storage, in which they form puparia by mid-winter and pupate. Thanks to this intraspecific flexibility, the population size of the onion hoverfly is constantly maintained at a high level.

The onion hoverfly emerges at the end of May. The fly is active throughout the day and high temperatures are not a deterrent.

After additional feeding with nectar, the female selects well-lit open areas and lays white eggs, somewhat concave in the middle part, on the soil surface near the plant, on the outer covering scales and in the neck of the bulb. After 4-7 days, larvae hatch, a distinctive morphological feature of which is the presence of spiracles clearly visible to the naked eye, protruding at the posterior end of the body, as well as their high plasticity.

In the bulb, the larvae feed on the succulent internal tissues of the plant for 17-25 days, mainly in the lower, root part. They molt three times, after which they form a false, light yellow cocoon with a brownish tint.

In July, flies of the second generation fly out, the larvae of which damage onions and garlic late dates plantings. Onion secretive weevil (Cruthorrhynchus jakovlevi Schultze.) is a small beetle 2-2.7 mm long. Its body is black, covered with white scales, oval in shape, with a long, slightly curved rostrum, and club-shaped antennae.

The end of the head is extended into a “proboscis”, usually bent down. The abdomen is not covered on top with elytra. It damages onions, spring onions, most often shallots, less often garlic and leeks.

Beetles overwinter under plant debris, dried grass and lumps of soil on the turfed slopes of ditches, ravines, along roadsides, and forest belts. They awaken in early spring, in the second half of April (according to observations, their years coincide with the flowering of dandelions).

At first, the beetles feed mainly on sprouted onions left in the field, then they move to early onion crops. They gnaw small holes in the leaves and, plunging their proboscis into them, eat out small cavities in the pulp of the leaf, under the skin.

The damage looks like round whitish spots located along the edge of the leaf. Onion seedlings are particularly affected. They often dry out and die.

It should be noted that in last years The number and harmfulness of the onion secretive proboscis has greatly increased, which is primarily due to high temperatures and the lack of precipitation during the period of its development (end of April - May). Females lay small, whitish, round-oval eggs through a hole they make in the feathers on the inside of the leaves.

The larvae that hatch after 5-16 days are yellowish, legless, C-shaped bent, with a brown head, up to 6.5 mm long, gnaw holes in the pulp of the leaves, and whitish ones form on the outside longitudinal stripes. The leaves turn yellow, starting from the top, and if severely damaged, they dry out.

If there are 3-5 larvae on one leaf, especially in dry, hot weather, the seedlings die. The larvae stop causing damage by early June, and new leaves grow on the affected plants. However, the yield as a result of the “activity” of the secretive proboscis is significantly reduced.

The larvae develop for 15-20 days, then gnaw holes in the leaves, go into the soil and pupate at a depth of 3-6 cm. The pupa is located in the soil, in a loose earthen cradle.

The second generation of beetles appears in late June - early July and feeds on leaf tissue and inflorescences of onion plants in the summer. When the succulent pedicels are completely nibbled, the flowers die, and when partially, puny seeds are obtained. The onion moth (Acrolepia assectella Zell.) damages onion, leeks and partially garlic during the growing season.

Butterflies overwinter in plant debris. The butterfly is up to 12-14 mm in wingspan, the front wings are brown with large stripes and spots, and the hind wings are gray with long fringe. The summer of onion moth butterflies begins in mid-May.

They fly at night, soon after feeding additionally with nectar, they mate and lay yellowish, round, up to 0.4 mm long eggs on the underside of the leaf, on the neck of the bulb, and on the flower shoots of onions and garlic. After 5-7 days, yellowish-green caterpillars with brown warts hatch, penetrate into the leaves, shoots and inflorescences, eat up the flower primordia, and during the flowering of the plants, gnaw the pedicels.

Caterpillars pupate on leaves, on the surface of the soil near the bulbs. The development of the pupa lasts 9-12 days. In July, butterflies of a new generation emerge, the caterpillars of which usually cause damage in the second half of July and in August.

Tobacco (onion) thrips (Thrips tabaci Lind.) are most common in the southern regions of Ukraine (and today almost throughout the entire territory of Ukraine) and harm not only onions, but also cucumbers, watermelons, and cabbage. When onion sets and garlic are stored warmly (+18°C), thrips feed and reproduce throughout the winter, significantly reducing their planting qualities.

Thrips overwinter in the top layer of soil, in plant debris under dry scales of onions and garlic. Appears on crops in late April - early May. The female lays up to 100 small whitish eggs, placing them singly in the fleshy scales of the bulbs.

The root mite penetrates into mature bulbs through the bottom, which cracks and turns into a rotten mass. Thrips and their larvae feed by sucking juice from leaves. Whitish spots form on the leaves, which merge when severely damaged.

Damaged leaves turn yellow and dry out. You can see small black dots on them - the excrement of the pest. The bulb of the affected plants is small. By the time of onion harvesting, if the weather is warm, thrips fly to cabbage, cucumbers, and various weeds.

Onion crops are damaged by root (onion) mite (Rhizoglyphus echinopus R. et F.) and garlic four-legged mite (Aceria tulipae Keif.). Ticks are small arthropod insects, ranging from 0.5 to 1.1 mm in length.

Moisture-loving and heat-loving organisms, reproduce weakly at temperatures above +13°C and relative air humidity above 70%. They are distinguished by their fertility: one female lays up to 800 eggs. Each generation develops within 10-30 days.

When conditions worsen or there is a lack of food, a very resistant form of the pest (hypopus) appears. In this form, ticks can exist for a long time without feeding. The root mite penetrates into mature bulbs through the bottom.

With severe damage, the outer scales lag behind the bottom - it becomes bare, becomes rotten, and the bulb rots. With mild infestation, the mites remain between the fleshy scales and damage onions in storage.

The root mite can also feed on bulbs of hyacinths, daffodils, and even potato tubers and rotting roots of carrots and beets. The garlic mite, unlike the root mite, damages the leaves and juicy scales on the outside of the bulb and causes especially great harm to onion sets.

Overwinters in bulbs, soil and seeds. In onion waste, on dry scales, being in the dormant stage, it can persist for more than two years, and in dried garlic - up to five.

When introduced into a humid environment, the nematode leaves the dormant state and becomes active. After sowing or planting onions and garlic in contaminated soil, the stem nematode penetrates the plant tissue and lays eggs in them. The emerging larvae and adult nematodes feed on the sap of plants, which at the same time lag behind in growth, their first cotyledon leaf swells and bends.

Severely damaged seedlings die. In plants, leaves (feathers) become deformed, wrinkled with yellowish veins, bend, and thicken at the bottom. The internal tissues of the bulbs when cut have a loose granular structure.

Cavities often form between the juicy scales of a diseased bulb (that’s why it feels soft to the touch), and its bottom cracks. Affected bulbs continue to deteriorate during storage. The set is drying up.

When garlic is infected with a nematode, it is stunted in growth, its pseudostem thickens, and longitudinal cracks form on it. The bulb becomes loose and wet, and it completely collapses. The onion leaf beetle (Lilioceris merdigera) is found everywhere, but causes damage in patches.

The beetle overwinters in plant debris. Before germination, it feeds on unharvested queen cells and sets discarded during planting, and on the shoots of overwintered bulbs from last year.

With the emergence of seedlings, it moves on to young shoots and inflorescences - it gnaws holes in the shoots, gnaws on pedicels and flowers. The larvae damage leaves and arrows; pupate in the soil. Leaf beetle larvae are large and are collected by hand.

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