Fungicides Evaluated for Control of Rhizoctonia Bottom Rot of Lettuce in 1991 Field Trials

Abstract

Bottom rot of lettuce, caused by the soil -borne fungus Rhizoctonia solani, can cause economic losses on early season lettuce harvested in November. First evidence of the disease is the appearance of brown, sunken, necrotic areas on the midribs of leaves touching the soil. Under favorable environmental conditions, the pathogen grows from leaf to leaf inside the head. If the fungus invades the leaves of the marketable head it and all similarly infected heads are left in the field resulting in economic losses. Field trials were established to evaluate the potential level of disease control obtainable by applying Ronilan or Rovral to lettuce beds immediately after thinning. No significant reduction in loss of marketable heads was observed in these trials, although there was a trend toward lower levels of bottom rot when either fungicide was in place.