Distribution and association of factors affecting onion purple blotch disease epidemics in northwestern Ethiopia
Abstract Onion (Allium cepa L.) is an important food bulb crop used for various dishes and medical purposes. However, purple blotch disease limits productivity and production of onion in onion‐growing regions. Thus, this research was conducted to assess the distribution and intensity of purple blotc...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2025-06-01
|
| Series: | Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/agg2.70144 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| Summary: | Abstract Onion (Allium cepa L.) is an important food bulb crop used for various dishes and medical purposes. However, purple blotch disease limits productivity and production of onion in onion‐growing regions. Thus, this research was conducted to assess the distribution and intensity of purple blotch of onion and determine the associations of disease parameters with biophysical factors. A total of 130 onion fields from four districts in two zones were surveyed during the 2022/23 cropping season to measure disease and biophysical data during the survey periods. The associations of disease parameters and biophysical factors were analyzed using the binary logistic regression model by employing the SAS GENEMODE procedure. The survey results confirmed 100% prevalence of purple blotch. The highest disease incidence and severity were assessed from Gondar Zuria (37.13% and 23.01%) and Libokemkem (36.24% and 21.34%) districts, respectively. High disease incidence (>45%) and severity (>25%) were strongly associated with bulbing and maturity crop growth stages, field size (>0.25 ha), blub previous crop, late October transplanting, more than six times fungicide application, and less than four times land preparation. Lower disease incidence (≤45%) and severity (≤25%) had a strong association with early December transplanting, more than four times land preparation, fungicide spray (≤6 times), field size (≤0.25 ha), and fields previously planted with cereals. Thus, these practices could be considered management options to reduce the impact of the disease in onion‐growing areas in northwestern Ethiopia and other similar areas of the country. Future research on pathogenic variability is required to develop long‐term disease management strategies. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 2639-6696 |