Survey of Garlic White Rot Caused by Stromatinia cepivora in Major Garlic-Producing Areas of Goheung, Jeonnam, Korea in 2026

Garlic white rot caused by Stromatinia cepivora was surveyed in major garlic-producing areas of Goheung, Jeonnam, Korea, from May 18 to 20, 2026. A total of 30 garlic fields in eight regions were investigated. The disease was detected in 18 fields, corresponding to a field incidence of 60.0%. Disease incidence within fields ranged from 0% to 41%, with an average incidence of 7.5%. Pungyang-myeon showed the highest average disease incidence (19.4%), and fields with a previous history of the disease exhibited higher incidence (13.2%) than those without disease history (3.1%). Typical symptoms and black sclerotia were observed on infected plants, and the pathogen was confirmed through isolation from collected sclerotia. These results indicate that garlic white rot occurred widely in major garlic-producing areas of Goheung in 2026 and highlight the need for continuous monitoring and integrated disease management.