Articles
Towards a Rhizopus integrated pest management strategy in modern strawberry cultivation
Article number
1465_51
Pages
339 – 344
Language
English
Abstract
Since 2015 Belgian strawberry growers experience an increasing number of fruit rot infestations causing texture loss of the berries and formation of black or white sporangia.
Growers related the disease to Mucor symptoms.
Especially autumn cultivation also poses significant risks due to climatic factors – high humidity and elevated spore concentrations which affect both short and long day cultivars.
To protect their crops growers started to use chemical agents with a broader known working rate against fruit rot pathogens and thus stepping away from the integrated approach in strawberry.
A total of 110 fruit samples were sourced from 58 growers across three cooperatives, spanning two seasons and 12 varieties.
After both morphological and DNA analysis, Rhizopus spp., fungal species closely related to Mucor species, turn out to be causing these symptoms in 90% of the cases, where Mucor spp. are only found in 10% of the samples.
As a follow-up, plant sensitivity to Rhizopus spp. was explored through controlled spore inoculations at various developmental stages: early bloom, full bloom, fruit setting, and ripening phases.
Findings indicate that sensitivity increases as fruits approach ripeness, particularly when white fruits are present, suggesting that preventive measures against Rhizopus spp. should be prioritized during this period.
Five licenced products that have shown to be effective against Botrytis cinerea were tested against Rhizopus spp.
These products included Kenja, Switch, Luna Sensation, Huwasan and Serenade, with Kenja and Switch demonstrating effectiveness against Rhizopus spp.
This research takes the first steps in developing an integrated management strategy to combat these fungi.
Growers related the disease to Mucor symptoms.
Especially autumn cultivation also poses significant risks due to climatic factors – high humidity and elevated spore concentrations which affect both short and long day cultivars.
To protect their crops growers started to use chemical agents with a broader known working rate against fruit rot pathogens and thus stepping away from the integrated approach in strawberry.
A total of 110 fruit samples were sourced from 58 growers across three cooperatives, spanning two seasons and 12 varieties.
After both morphological and DNA analysis, Rhizopus spp., fungal species closely related to Mucor species, turn out to be causing these symptoms in 90% of the cases, where Mucor spp. are only found in 10% of the samples.
As a follow-up, plant sensitivity to Rhizopus spp. was explored through controlled spore inoculations at various developmental stages: early bloom, full bloom, fruit setting, and ripening phases.
Findings indicate that sensitivity increases as fruits approach ripeness, particularly when white fruits are present, suggesting that preventive measures against Rhizopus spp. should be prioritized during this period.
Five licenced products that have shown to be effective against Botrytis cinerea were tested against Rhizopus spp.
These products included Kenja, Switch, Luna Sensation, Huwasan and Serenade, with Kenja and Switch demonstrating effectiveness against Rhizopus spp.
This research takes the first steps in developing an integrated management strategy to combat these fungi.
Publication
Authors
D. Peeters, M. Hofkens, P. Melis, S. Laurijssen, V. Greffe, T. Van Delm, A. Ceustermans, W. Van Hemelrijck, M. Holtappels, J. Debode, K. Maenhout
Keywords
strawberry, IPM, Mucor spp., Rhizopus stolonifer
Groups involved
- Division Vine and Berry Fruits
- Working Group Strawberry Culture and Management
- Division Sustaining Horticulture in a Changing World
- Division Horticulture for Human Health
- Division Plant Genetic Resources, Breeding and Biotechnology
- Division Greenhouse and Indoor Production Horticulture
- Division Precision Horticulture and Engineering
Online Articles (64)