Fusarium basal rot soil testing
Helping growers and agronomists make informed decisions on where to plant onions
ADAS can detect disease-causing levels of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cepae (FOC) in soil, the pathogen responsible for Fusarium Basal Rot in onions and garlic.
The UK onion industry produces about 450,000 tonnes of onions annually across 10,000 hectares, with a value of about £160 million. Warmer, wetter summers, coupled with a lack of fresh productive land, create ideal conditions for the soil borne fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cepae (FOC). FOC is the cause of Fusarium basal rot – the most damaging disease affecting onions and garlic.
There is currently no effective control for the pathogen. The only effective management regime is to avoid planting in soil infected with FOC. ADAS Biotechnology, in collaboration with experts from the University of Warwick, offers a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test that is sensitive enough to detect FOC in soil samples. Conducting the soil test before planting will help growers identify FOC-contaminated land and significantly reduce the risk of crop loss later.
Book your soil testResources
How did we develop this test?
The FUSED project
In 2024, Innovate UK awarded funding to develop an early diagnostic and management process for Fusarium – the FUSED project.
Within the FUSED project, Professor John Clarkson and Dr Sascha Jenkins from the University of Warwick developed a molecular detection assay that could reliably detect FOC in soil samples.
ADAS’s role in the FUSED project was to continue test validation and offer the test to the onion-grower industry.
Cost and turnaround time
We offer tiered pricing depending on the number of soil samples.
| Quantity of samples submitted for FOC testing | Cost per sample (ex VAT) |
|---|---|
| 1-20 | £140 |
| 21-50 | £125 |
| 51-100 | £115 |
| 100+ | £110 |
Payment is by invoice and in accordance with our terms and conditions.
We aim to return results within 15 working days of receiving your soil sample. If your soil sample has a high moisture content, it may take longer. Testing can be done at any time of the year, but we expect demand to be high from July to November. Please contact us if you wish to book testing and we will confirm an approximate timescale in our reply.
Book your soil testHow to collect a soil sample for testing
How your soil sample was taken will determine the accuracy of your results. To give us the best chance of finding any FOC, take a minimum of 49 soil cores from across the field in a grid or ‘W’ pattern. Add all field soil cores into one clear plastic bag. We recommend following this AHDB sampling guidance for Potato Cyst Nematode (PCN) – PCN has a very similar field distribution to FOC.
Once you have contacted us to arrange testing, post or drop off your soil sample to our ADAS Gleadthorpe office for processing: FOC soil testing c/o ADAS Gleadthorpe, Netherfield Lane, Meden Vale, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire NG20 9PD.
What happens after we receive your soil sample
Understanding your results
Your results will confirm the amount of FOC DNA we found in your sample. We use a traffic light system to indicate if the quantity found is enough to cause crop damage.
- Green – No FOC detected in the sample (FOC may be present at a very low, undetectable level).
- Amber – FOC detected at a level that may affect less than 10% of the crop.
- Red – FOC detected at a level that may affect 10% or more of the crop.