Scientists at Korea University and Konkuk University in Seul have previously identified Aspergillus awamori, Fusarium oxysporum, Penicillium brasilianum and Rhizopus oryzae as the agents of the most important fungal diseases of onion bulbs during postharvest storage. Last February, a first report of a new postharvest fungal pathogen isolated from an onion bulb was published on-line on Food Protection Journal.
The scientists have isolated an unknown strain of Penicillium genus from onion bulb and identified it as sp. GR-68. They have observed the molecular and morphological characteristics of GR-68 and tested its pathogenicity against onion bulbs.
By using macro- and micromorphological and molecular analyses, GR-68 isolate was consequently identified as P. georgiense. In addition, the scientists found that this fungal species was pathogenic to onion bulbs, where hole inoculated bulbs showed weak yellow halos or yellowish sunken lesions.
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Source: Ji Yeon Oh, Gyung Deok Han, Jin-Ju Jeong, Mee Kyung Sang, Se-Chul Chun, Ki Deok Kim, "First report of Penicillium georgiense as a fungal pathogen of onion (Allium cepa L.)", 2015, Crop Protection, Vol. 72, pagg.83-89. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0261219415000599