The impact of planting material and soil fumigants on charcoal rot of strawberry in Australia

Abstract

Charcoal rot of strawberry is widespread in Australia and causes significant plant deaths and financial losses each year. Substitute treatments have not controlled the disease adequately since the withdrawal of the soil fumigant methyl bromide in 2005. We investigated the effect of planting material and fumigants on charcoal rot in strawberry ('Albion') on two commercial fruit farms in Victoria, Australia. Results showed that mature plants grown from plug and bare-rooted transplants did not differ significantly in their charcoal rot index. Similarly, the charcoal rot index of mature plants grown from bare-rooted transplants with different crown diameters (<9 mm, 9-12 mm, and >12 mm) was not significantly different. Fumigation with shank-applied ethanedinitrile (EDN), chloropicrin (PIC)/1,3-dichloropropene (80:20), PIC, or EDN co-applied through drip irrigation with PIC significantly reduced charcoal rot of strawberry compared with untreated soils by 96, 71, 67, 56%, respectively. There was no significant interaction between the planting material and fumigant treatments for charcoal rot index.