BYGL Disease Digest July 3, 2008 A ROTTEN DEAL FOR STRAWBERRIES
| A ROTTEN DEAL FOR STRAWBERRIES |
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 With the excessive rains falling in northeast Ohio, Erik Draper reported strawberry growers are battling to hold off the disease called LEATHER ROT, which is caused by the fungal pathogen Phytophthora cactorum. This fungus primarily infects the fruit and can infect berries at any stage of development, with the infection of green fruit being most common. Diseased areas on green fruit may be dark brown or remain green, but outlined by a brown margin. As the rot continues to spread, the entire berry becomes brown, appears leather-like, and retains a rough texture. On fully ripened berries, the infection may be difficult to detect. The infection often results in a slight color change, ranging from brown to dark purple and the infected ripe fruit are usually softer to the touch than healthy fruit. However, ripened fruit that are infected by the fungus have a very distinct unpleasant aroma and bitter taste and aroma. In the later stages of decay, mature fruits also become tough, leathery, and sometimes a white mold forms on the fruit surface. As infected fruits dry up, they become stiff, shriveled, mummified berries. Leather rot is most often found on berries with direct soil contact and is associated with poorly drained areas, like puddles, where there is always standing water. Control of this fungal disease begins with good cultural practices, such as avoiding areas that drain poorly or become flooded periodically with heavy downpours. These poorly drained sites are ideal for development of leather rot. Maintain rows or separation of matted-row plantings to promote faster drying of foliage and fruit. Using a mulch of straw or other materials, to reduce the chance for fruit to touch the bare soil, is very beneficial in controlling leather rot. Finally, fungicides can be beneficial for controlling leather rot in commercial plantings; however, they are not generally recommended for use in backyard fruit plantings. Instead, homeowners are encouraged to use good cultural practices to control leather rot on strawberries. For more information, see:
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| Last Updated ( Friday, 04 July 2008 11:40 ) |
