onion smut
- noun
- /ˈʌnjən smʌt/
- Specialized
:
carbón de cebolla
- Seedlings should be monitored for signs of onion smut in early growth stages.
Examples
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The farmer lost half his crop to onion smut this spring.
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Crop rotation is recommended to prevent the spread of onion smut in the fields.
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The farmer discovered onion smut on his crops.
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Have you seen any signs of onion smut this season?
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To combat onion smut, farmers should apply fungicides to affected areas of their fields.
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Preventative measures against onion smut include ensuring proper drainage around the onion beds.
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After noticing onion smut on his seedlings, the gardener decided to replant with resistant varieties.
Synonyms
A fungus that makes black blisters on onion leaves and bulbs, harming young plants
How Damaged
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound is a direct combination of 'onion' (the vegetable) and 'smut' (a fungal disease producing black spores), so a learner who knows both words can infer it refers to a fungal disease affecting onions. Noun+noun disease compounds (e.g. 'wheat rust', 'barley smut') are cross-linguistically common and follow transparent compositional patterns, making the meaning predictable at B1.
Etymology
Onion smut comes from the black, soot-like spots the fungus makes on onion bulbs and leaves. The word smut once meant 'dirt' or 'soot', so onion smut now means 'a fungal disease that causes black spots on onions'.