- Author: Mark Bolda
Introduction: The difficulty of controlling Macrophomina, the causal agent in charcoal rot in strawberry, in California has brought about a renewed interest in non-conventional methods for its management.
The following study is an attempt to investigate two soil applied fungicides and their effectiveness in mitigating loss from Macrophomina infection.
Materials and Methods: The trial was done as a randomized complete block design of four replicates of one bed 35 foot long by 4 foot wide per treatment on Monterey variety strawberries in a field known to be infested with Macrophomina in Salinas, California. See the picture below for a demonstration of the...
- Author: Sumanth S. R. Dara
- Author: Suchitra S. Dara
- Author: Surendra K. Dara
Potted strawberry plants color-coded for different treatments. Photo by Surendra Dara
Charcoal rot, caused by Macrophomina phaseolina, is one of the important fungal diseases of strawberry in California. Macrophomina phaseolina is a soilborne fungus and has a wide host range, including alfalfa, cabbage, corn, pepper, and potato, some of which are cultivated in the strawberry production areas in California. The fungus infects the vascular system of the plant roots, obstructing the nutrient and water supply and ultimately resulting in...
- Author: Sarah Light
A field in Sutter County was confirmed to have charcoal rot, also known as dry root rot or ashy stem blight, which is caused by the fungus Macrophomina phaseolina. The disease generally occurs under dry soil conditions paired with high temperatures and can be especially problematic when irrigation is delayed during periods of drought stress. This pathogen infects the crown and stem of garbanzo plants near the soil line and produces black cankers, which are sunken with distinct margins and often contain concentric rings. The disease is usually scattered in the field and often occurs during the flowering and pod stages (although infection can occur at all growth stages). The pathogen infects the stems of seedlings...