Cause Several fungi or fungus-like microorganisms including Pythium ultimum, Fusarium sp., and Rhizoctonia sp., which live in soil and attack seedlings of many different crops. As seedlings mature, they become resistant to attack. The disease can be a serious problem in cool, wet soils.
Symptoms Seedlings may be attacked before or after emergence, resulting in gaps and uneven stands. Young plants suddenly wilt and topple over. Water-soaked lesions are apparent on stems at the soil line for only a short time before the seedling dies.
Cultural control
- Planting after soil warms speeds seedling growth and emergence.
- Mulch to increase soil temperature.
- Plant shallowly to promote quick emergence and growth.
- Avoid using old seed, which may not emerge quickly.
Chemical control
- Treat seed with fungicide.
- Allegiance-FL at 0.75 fl oz/100 lb seed plus a dye if Pythium is a problem. See label for reentry restrictions.
- Apron XL at 0.085 to 0.64 fl oz/100 lb seed plus a dye if Pythium is a problem. See label for reentry restrictions.
- Captan 4F at 3.2 fl oz/100 lb seed plus a dye.
- Dynasty at 0.1 to 0.38 fl oz/100 lb seed plus a dye. 4-hr reentry.
- Maxim 4FS at 0.08 to 0.16 fl oz/100 lb seed plus a dye. Controls pathogenic Fusarium and Rhizoctonia spp. See label for reentry restrictions.
- Mertect at 0.1 mg ai/seed plus a dye. To control pathogenic Fusarium spp.
- MetaStar 2E AG at 4 to 8 pints/A as a preplant or at planting treatment. Controls Pythium spp. 48-hr reentry.
- 42-S Thiram at 4.5 fl oz/100 lb seed plus a dye. See label for reentry restrictions.
- Band or spray fungicides on soil.
- C-O-C-S WDG at 4 lb/100 gal water or at 2 oz/3 gal water. Can be re-applied on a minimum of 3-day intervals. Do not apply through any irrigation system. 48-hr reentry; 24-hr reentry for greenhouse applications.
- Orondis Gold (Group 49 + 4) at 28 to 55 fl oz/A as an in-furrow or banded soil application at planting. May be applied through drip after emergence. Preharvest interval is 5 days. 48-hr reentry.
- Quadris Flowable at 0.4 to 0.8 fl oz/1000 row feet applied in a 7-inch or less band either in-furrow at planting or as a directed spray at cultivation. 4-hr reentry.
- Regalia (Group P5) at 1 to 2 quarts/A as an in-furrow treatment. Does not benefit from the addition of an adjuvant. 4-hr reentry. O
Biological control
- Actinovate AG at 3 to 12 oz/A as a soil drench at planting. 4-hr reentry. O
- Actinovate Lawn & Garden at 0.5 to 1 teaspoon/gal water. H O
- Bexfond at 7 to 28 fl oz/A. O
- Cease at 3 to 6 quarts in 100 gal water applied to soil at 1 pint/sq ft for each 3-inches of soil depth on 21- to 28-day intervals. For greenhouse plants only. 4-hr reentry. O
- Double Nickel LC at 0.5 to 4.5 pints/A for soil application on 14- to 28-day intervals. Can be applied the day of harvest. 4-hr reentry. O
- Prestop WG as a soil drench or incorporation into growing medium. 4-hr reentry. O
- Rootshield WP at 3 to 5 oz/100 gal water for greenhouse soil drench and field chemigation or at 16 to 32 oz/A as an in-furrow spray. 4-hr reentry. O
- SoilGard at 0.5 to 10 lb/A at 4-week intervals will suppress Pythium and Rhizoctonia. See label for specific application types and timings. Can be applied on the day of harvest. 4-hr reentry. O
- Stargus at 3 to 4 quarts/A as a soil drench on 10- to 21-day intervals. Preharvest interval is 0 days. 4-hr reentry. O