The use of integrated pre- and post-harvest strategies for the control of fungal pathogens of stored temperate onions

The most important fungal pathogens of stored temperate onion bulbs are Botrytis allii (neck rot) and Aspergillus niger (black mould). In addition Aspergillus fumigatus and Penicillium spp. frequently occur in the mycoflora of temperate onions. All of these fungi occur in the pre-harvest environment of onion crops. The post-harvest development of these pathogens is determined by the temperature and relative humidity in onion stores. Pre-and post-harvest treatments are used singly or in combination in order to control these fungi.