Rhizoctonia Root Rot
Rhizoctonia is a common soil
fungus that infect young seedlings, causing damping
off. It can also continue to cause root rot problems well
into mid-season.
Rhizoctonia
fungi become active when soils warm up in late May and early June. Rhizoctonia
can be identified fairly easily by the localized brown-to-reddish brown
stem lesions that are limited to the cortical layer (Figure 1). Unlike
infection caused by Phytophthora, the infected stems remain firm and
dry.
Rhizoctonia
can continue to attack plants at later growth stages, particularly if
weather conditions are unfavorable for good plant growth. Eventually,
by late July or August, plants will grow out of root rot problems and
symptoms will disappear.
Management of
Rhizoctonia
There are no varieties
resistant to Rhizoctonia root rot. Management relies on promoting new
root growth. One approach is to cultivate the soil, which mounds soil
around the base of the plant and promotes are root growth. Eliminating
stress factors, such as herbicides, can help reduce root rot problems.
If severe root
rot is a problem, consider fungicide seed treatments in the next year
to control seedling blight. This should also improve overall root health.
Read more about fungicide seed treatments
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