For effective control of stem nematode, the HWT should last 5 h at 43 C or 3 h at 44.4 C. Increasing the temperature to 48 C results in complete control, but also damages the bulbs. The nematodes are made more susceptible to the HWT if the bulbs are given a cold water treatment the night before. The amount of water used should be approximately twice the weight of the bulbs. Some chemicals have been used with some success to control D. dipsaci . Primiphos-methyl and phoxim dips have been shown to be effective at reducing infection, and carbofuran and phoxim dips prevent eggs being laid in the bulbs.
Infested bulbs develop yellowish leaves and blistering on the outer bulb scales.
After storage, the scales turn dry and grey or brown. This organism is also associated with a reddish-brown root and basal plate rot of unknown pathogen. Control the nematode by crop rotation and HWT of 50 C for 45 min or 55 C for 25 min. Including fungicide in the hot water dips reduces the secondary rotting infection. Soil sterilization can also help eliminate the pathogen.