Red Stele Root Rot of Strawberry

Phytophthora fragariae

high

Strawberryoomycete

A serious root-rot disease of cool, wet, poorly drained soil that stunts and kills plants, with a diagnostic reddish core inside the root.

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Symptoms

Stunted, wilting plants with bluish-green new leaves and reddish, orange, or yellow older leaves; roots are sparse with a "rat-tail" appearance and a reddish-brown core visible when a root is sliced lengthwise.

Favorable conditions

•Soil temperatures around 13-15.5°C with saturated, poorly drained soil
•Heavy clay soils that hold moisture for long periods
•The pathogen can survive 13+ years in infested soil

Management

1Plant resistant cultivars (e.g. Earliglow, Guardian, Redchief, Sunrise, Surecrop)
2Choose well-drained sites and raise beds on marginal soils
3Alternate Ridomil Gold and Aliette fungicide applications to manage resistance
4Avoid moving contaminated soil on equipment

Treatment details

Organic treatment

Rhizosphere bacteria (Raoultella terrigena, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Pseudomonas fluorescens) have shown up to roughly 50% disease control in field trials.

Chemical treatment

Ridomil Gold (metalaxyl-M) as a fall soil drench, alternated with Aliette (fosetyl-Al), for resistance management.

Cultural management

Plant resistant cultivars, choose well-drained non-low-lying sites, raise beds, and avoid reusing contaminated equipment.

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