Phytophthora capsici: the diseases it causes and management strategies to produce healthier vegetable crops

ABSTRACT Vegetable crops are exposed to constant infection by numerous diseases, including those caused the oomycete Phytophthora capsici. This microorganism is a polyphagous plant pathogen, capable of infecting dozens species, cultivated plants and weeds. The aim this review address topics related etiology symptoms diseases (leaf blight, root rot, crown rot fruit rot), as well integration application different control alternatives, such genetics, cultural, physical, biological, chemical. Crops sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum), chili spp.), tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), eggplant (S. melongena), cucurbits (Cucumis sativus, Cucurbita among others, subject considerable economic losses induced pathogen. High soil humidity, high temperatures, resistance structures pathogen (oospores), scarce availability resistant cultivars reduced range effective fungicides conditions that difficult management P. capsici in field. Despite irrefutable importance existing information regarding its integrated limited. Therefore, successful will depend great extent on knowledge control. Thus, joint strategies seeks maintain at low population levels also keeping epidemics under threshold loss. At end, an pest approach for could result higher returns, long-term sustainable harvests, reduction environment impact better quality products consumers.