Green mold

Penicillium corymbiferum

Symptoms. In storage, initial symptoms are seen as water soaked areas on the outer surfaces of scales. This leads to development of the green-blue, powdery mold on the surface of the lesions. When the bulbs are cut, these lesions are seen as tan or grey colored areas. There may be total deterioration with a secondary watery rot. 
Disease Cycle. Penicillium survives in infected bulbs and cloves from one season to the next. Spores from infected heads are spread when they are cracked prior to planting. If slightly infected cloves are planted, they may rot before plants come up, or the seedlings may not survive. The fungus does not persist  in the soil.
Air-borne spores often invade plants through wounds, bruises or uncured neck tissue. In storage, infection on contact is through surface wounds or through the basal plate; the fungus grows through the fleshy tissue and sporulation occurs on the surface of the lesions. Entire cloves may eventually be filled with spores.

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