Slippery skin

There are no symptoms on the outer surface of bulbs during early stages of disease development. When the bulb is cut open lengthwise, one or more of the inner scales can be found water-soaked or appears as if it has been cooked. The rot does not progress crosswise in the bulb. After the decay has progressed, the tissue begins to dry, the onion shrivels and secondary organisms can enter and cause a wet rot. The base of the bulb can be pressed hard enough to cause the centre core to slip out at the top, and for this reason the disease is known as slippery skin. The disease is favoured by high moisture.