New Fungicides Evaluated for Control of Sclerotinia Leaf Drop of Lettuce in 1997 and 1998

Abstract

Sclerotinia leaf drop of lettuce is caused by two different species of this fungal pathogen, Sclerotinia minor and S. sclerotiorum. Cool and moist environmental conditions favor this disease. Some new fungicides in development were evaluated for control of leaf drop on lettuce during the winter vegetable growing seasons of 1996-97 and 1997-98. Sclerotia of each pathogen were applied to plots after thinning and just before the first of two applications of test compounds. The final severity of leaf drop in these trials was high. Significant reduction in disease or increase in marketable heads compared to nontreated plants was usually achieved by application of the standard compounds Ronilan and Rovral as well as the new fungicides BAS 500 and an "unidentified" material. The future registration and subsequent availability of one or both of these new chemistries for lettuce could provide equivalent disease control to that of the current standard materials with 0.2 to 0.25 lb active ingredient (a.i.) per acre instead of the current 1.0 lb a.i. per acre required with the standard compounds.