Reduction in White Rot Incidence by Seed Irradiation in Allium cepa. R. S. Utkhede, Research Associate, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B. C. V5A 1S6. J. E. Rahe, Associate Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B. C. V5A 1S6. Plant Dis. 66:723-725. Accepted for publication 6 November 1981. Copyright 1982 American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/PD-66-723.

Plants grown from gamma-irradiated seeds of the open-pollinated onion cultivar Ailsa Craig were evaluated for infection by Sclerotium cepivorum, the causal agent of white rot, in 1978. Percentage of infection was significantly less in progenies from treated seeds compared with those from untreated control seeds. Similar results were obtained in 1979 with the cultivar Ailsa Craig and the hybrid cultivar Autumn Spice. Significant reduction in percentage of infection of selfed and open-pollinated M₂ progenies of irradiated seeds of the cultivar Ailsa Craig was observed in 1980.

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