Physical, Cultural, and Chemical Alternatives for Integrated Management of Charcoal Rot of Strawberry

Macrophomina phaseolina, the causal agent of charcoal rot in strawberry, induces plant wilting and collapse. The pathogen survives through production microsclerotia soil strawberry debris. However, its management is difficult, disease has become an increasing problem for industry. Physical, cultural, chemical alternatives integrated were evaluated laboratory field trials during 2017–18 2018–19 seasons. In a trial, M. phaseolina subjected to heat treatment germination was inhibited at 52, 56, 80, 95°C after 30, 10, 1, 0.5 min exposure, respectively. infected crowns, microsclerotial viability reduced 5 min, regardless temperature, whereas field, reduction observed 1 min. trials, incidence inoculated plants transplanted into white-striped plastic-mulched beds 20.8%, compared with 60.8% grown black plastic mulch. On commercial farms, crop residue removal from infested areas population but did not decrease incidence. Moreover, propagule densities debris by fumigant application termination surviving propagules allowed increase over summer. Furthermore, preplant fumigation metam potassium Overall, adoption approaches such as physical, chemical, and/or cultural methods played significant role reducing inoculum contributed control high pressure.