ARS | Publication request: BIOLOGICAL APPROACHES FOR CONTROL OF ROOT PATHOGENS OF STRAWBERRY

Submitted to: National American Phytopathology Meetings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: May 20, 2001
Publication Date: August 20, 2001
Citation: Martin, F.N., Bull, C.T. 2001. Biological approaches for control of root pathogens of strawberry. National American Phytopathology Meetings.

Technical Abstract: The development of biological approaches for disease control as a replacement to preplant methyl bromide soil fumigation in annual production systems presents numerous challenges. Fumigation is being used in the first place because it effectively controls yield-limiting pathogens in high-value cropping systems that currently lack cost practical alternatives. Due to the efficacy of fumigation for disease control, entire production systems have been designed around the continued use of methyl bromide. These production systems are so intertwined with fumigation that limited crop rotation or crop monoculture is often practiced using cultivars that were selected and developed for use in fumigated production systems. The strawberry production system in California is, perhaps, an extreme example of the complexity of the problem encountered when trying to develop alternative control strategies. This manuscript focuses on approaches for the development of biologically based alternative control procedures for this cropping system. Alternative control procedures discussed include the use of microbial inoculants for enhanced plant growth or protection of roots from pathogen attack, cultivar selection for host tolerance to disease, the influence of crop rotation on pathogen population dynamics and disease severity, and implementation of organically based production systems.