Root rot protection

Indian summers and superstorms have created a plant environment that is ripe for root rot. Rapidly-changing weather conditions, tremendous variance in temperatures this fall, and the seesawing between having an excess or complete lack of rain have placed increased stresses on plants, causing them to be more prone to root rot issues.

Hundreds of ornamental plant species are susceptible to the disease, which is caused by a few dozen Phytophthora species in the U.S.

 

To prevent root rot, growers should consider using a biological fungicide, says Chris Hayes, the Southeast Technical Sales Manager for BioWorks.

Biological fungicides can also eliminate or reduce the use of chemical fungicides, which not only saves input costs, but also protects from resistance problems. Rotating a biological fungicide between chemical applications can extend their usefulness before resistance develops and reduce the overall use of chemicals.

 

Biological fungicides are effective when a high population of good organisms are introduced, which overwhelm the bad or ineffective organisms. Various modes of action are claimed for both bacterial and fungal biological fungicides.

 

Like any product, biological fungicides have strengths and weaknesses. Strengths of some microbial fungicides include no resistance development, extended disease control from one application, gentler to plant material, lower toxicity and a better perception of sustainability.

 

Some weaknesses include a shorter shelf life compared to chemicals, special storage requirements, frequent applications, lack of rapid results and concern over chemical compatibility.

 

Hayes recommends RootShield Plus, a soil-applied fungicide containing two beneficial fungi -- Trichoderma harzianum strain T-22, and Trichoderma virens strain G-41. One application delivers 90 days (more than 12 weeks) of protection against root rot. Hayes says chemical-based fungicides will give you four to six weeks of protection, at best.

 

“Even a one-week time delay can allow those roots to be accessed by root rot pathogens, so apply it every 10-12 weeks,” Hayes said. “Don’t wait 12-14 weeks.”

 

Protection against root rot is important from day one, and biological fungicides can be effective as a preventative measure.

 

“Growers are taking cuttings off of stock plants this time of year and they will take those little plants and grow bigger plants for next spring,” Hayes said. “You want to protect those new plant roots, so go back to the mother plants that you’re taking cuttings from and protect those stock plants by treating them with RootShield Plus. Then when you take cuttings, they don’t have any diseases in the tissue, and they will make new little plants and bring out new roots that are disease free.”

 

For more information: http://www.bioworksbiocontrol.com/products/rootshield-plus.php