Botulism is a rare and dangerous infection caused by a soil germ called Clostridium botulinum which can contaminate canned or bottled foodstuffs and survive in them.

The primary source of infection was the oospore overwintered in soil and plant survival.

The main source of primary infection comes from hypha, akinetes and sclerotiums over-wintering in the bulb, residues of diseased plants and the soil.