ROOT DAMAGE – A COMMON PROBLEM IN STRAWBERRY PRODUCTION IN FINLAND

Factors affecting the state of growth in soil were studied in 1996-98 in Suonenjoki, the main strawberry growing area, in central Finland.
In addition to physical and chemical factors, soil-borne pathogens causing root rot and damage in the root system were also investigated.
The growers had specialized in strawberry production and cultivation had continued for years mainly without crop rotation.
Winter damage was a significant cause of plant decline on most farms.
The damage and the shallowness of the root system had clearly affected the growth and the yield of strawberries in the fields examined.
The most common root pathogens were Fusarium, Cylindrocarpon, Rhizoctonia and Phoma species.
The soil type and plant age affected the abundance of pathogen species in the root systems.
The lack of crop rotation or the use of a break of one year only in strawberry monoculture led to increasing problems in plant vigour.
Crop rotation of several years had a positive effect on the root system but did not affect the amount of root rotting fungi observed.

IV International Strawberry Symposium

P. Parikka, S. Kukkonen

root rot, crop rotation, soil borne pathogens

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2002.567.139