Disease: Onion Leaf Blight Pathogen: Stemphylium vesicariumHost: Onion, Allium cepa
The Associated Press has recently reported (AP Press, Elliot Minor, Albany, Georgia) that Stemphylium leaf blight has caused a severe epidemic on the famous Vidalia onions, and about 60% of the crop has been lost. This crop failure could cost growers $50 million dollars for a crop that is usually worth about $80 million. The disease is caused by a fungus that infects leaves and stalks to cause large lesions as shown in the figure above.