During the early stages of this disease,the bulbs may appear healthy exceptfor a softening of the neck tissue. In a longitudinal section, one or more inner scales will look watery or cooked. The disease progresses from the top of the infected scale to the base where it can then spread to other scales, rather than by spreading crosswise from scale to scale.

Field symptoms often appear as one or two wilted leaves in the center of the leaf cluster. These leaves eventually turn pale yellow and dieback from the tip while older and younger leaves maintain a healthy green appearance.

The internal tissue will rot in advanced stage. Finally, the internal scales dry and the bulb shrivels. Squeezing the base of infected plants causes the rotted inner portion of the bulbs to slide out through the neck, hence the name slippery skin.