CULTURAL AND CHEMICAL CONTROL OF BOTRYTIS FRUIT ROT OF STRAWBERRY IN ANNUAL WINTER PRODUCTION SYSTEMS

The effects of fungicide application programs, foliage and fruit sanitation, row spacing, and cultivar on Botrytis fruit rot in annual strawberry were evaluated.
The effect of fungicide treatments was evaluated over three seasons.
Weekly captan or thiram applications provided significant control of Botrytis. Bloom applications of iprodione during the second peak bloom period also reduced Botrytis, but did not improve disease control when combined with weekly applications of captan.
The control of Botrytis fruit rot by foliar and fruit sanitation was compared with fungicide treatments in a three-season study.
The removal of senescent foliage reduced the incidence of Botrytis, but not as effectively as fungicides, and control was not improved when sanitation was combined with fungicides.
Removal of cull fruit from the field did not reduce Botrytis. The effect of cultivar (Camarosa, Rosa Linda and Sweet Charlie) and within-row plant spacing (23, 30, 38, 46 cm) was evaluated over two seasons.
Both cultivar and spacing significantly affected the incidence of Botrytis. Plants in wider spacings had less Botrytis than narrower spacings.
Effective control of Botrytis in annual winter production systems requires a combination of cultural and chemical controls.

IV International Strawberry Symposium

D.E. Legard, J.C. Mertely, C.L. Xiao, C.K. Chandler, J.R. Duval, J.P. Price

IPM, Fragaria x ananassa, gray mold

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2002.567.141