Garlic Allium sativum. Left 2 virus infected, right 2 stemnematode infected
Yesterday I went to the garlic bed to pick some springgarlic and keep the clones healthy. I’m both alerted by yellowstriped leaves as sign of virusinfection, and by twisted and thickened leaves on plants probably infected by stem nematodes.
Those infected by stem nematodes have lost the juicyness, not worth eating. Those infected with virus are good food. They were cleaned, cut and prepared in the wok. Virus in garlic is harmless to humans.
Yellow stipes in garlic leaves, a sign of virus
Propagating plants vegetatively allways makes virus an issue. Clones accumulates vira over time, and garlic are very old clones. But not all clones are infected the same day, thus taking away the infected and propagating the healthy is a good practice in any garlic bed. As many of the plants can be used in the kitchen, loss is limited.
May 3, 2009 at 13:17
Thanks for your post. I think I have a few of nthe twisted garlics in my field — will check today for the yellow stripes. When you pull up the plants, can you see the nemetodes? Also, can you recommend further reading on the problems?
Thanks,
Erehwon Farm
Tim Fuller, Plant Manager
May 3, 2009 at 13:18
add notify button
May 3, 2009 at 20:58
I can’t see the nematode, I just assume it is the nematode from the symptoms.
You might follow some links:
http://www.agroatlas.ru/en/content/pests/Ditylenchus_dipsaci/
or
http://www.fruitandveggie.com/content/view/1604/38/
May 3, 2009 at 22:16
Hi Soren,
I learn so much from your site!
May 6, 2009 at 23:36
Thanks Meg!
What drives me writing the blog is the sense that other people benefit from my writings. Just as I’m gratefull to all the wise people ot there in the blogosphere, sharing their thoughts and experiences.
May 26, 2009 at 03:20
We appear to have the same virus on our garlic.
The garlic is about 2 months old and we are heading into winter here in South Australia.
Is there any thing we can do about the virus ?
Will the garlic still grow and produce reasonable bulbs?
May 31, 2009 at 23:49
Hi Maggie.
We can’t avoid virus, just keep the level as low as possible. If most of your plants look healthy, just eat the ones with stripes. If they all have stripes, and grow to the same height, don’t worry. If growing hardnecks, grow out the bulbils, and look out for plants with no stripes and propagate them.