Disease on crop
fungalSouthern Blight on eggplant
Sclerotium rolfsii
Soil-borne fungal disease most damaging in warm humid Southern conditions. White mycelial fans and small mustard-seed-sized sclerotia at the soil line are diagnostic.
- Disease
- Southern Blight
- Pathogen type
- Fungal
- Crop
- Eggplant
- Scientific name
- Sclerotium rolfsii
Southern Blight on eggplant
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Symptoms on eggplant
- ▸ Sudden wilting of plants during hot weather
- ▸ White cottony mycelium fanning out at soil line and on lower stems
- ▸ Tan to brown round sclerotia (look like mustard seeds) on or near affected stems
- ▸ Stem rot at soil line and plant collapse
IPM controls
- ✓ Crop rotation to non-host (corn, small grains) for 2-3 years
- ✓ Deep tillage to bury sclerotia below germination depth
- ✓ Remove and destroy infected plants and surrounding soil
- ✓ Improve drainage; soggy soil favors disease
- ✓ Cover crops of mustard or marigold reduce inoculum (biofumigation)
Other crops affected by southern blight
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