Putative phytotoxicity in onion seedlings treated with folicur and lime super

Abstract

During the 2000 season, putative phytotoxicity symptoms were observed in onion crops growing in the Tenthill and Carpendale areas of the Lockyer Valley in Queensland, Australia. These crops were treated with the recommended rates of lime super (125 kg/ha) and Folicur (tebuconazole, 1 l/ha) for the control of white rot infections caused by Sclerotium cepivorum. The top growth of these plants were affected following apparent root damage. Some of these plants failed to emerge. However, no such symptoms were observed in the two observation trials conducted in 2001, even when increased rates of both super lime (up to 175 kg/ha) and Folicur (up to 1.5 l/ha) were used. Thus, it cannot be concluded that the symptoms observed in 2000 were only related to the rates of either Folicur or lime super.