CONTROLLING PLANT
DISEASES
A Quick Reference Source
Plant diseases are caused by plant parasites spot of tomatoes. When starting a crop from
or pathogens, which include four types of transplants, seedlings should be examined
organisms: fungi, bacteria, nematodes, carefully for disease symptoms before
and viruses. Fungi and bacteria thrive in purchasing.
warm, moist conditions and are most
common when rain showers or heavy dews Use Resistant Varieties
are frequent and temperatures are warm. Using resistant varieties is the most efficient
Nematode damage is more evident in dry way of controlling vegetable diseases. Make
conditions, whereas viral diseases can occur an effort to buy resistant varieties when they
at any time. are available. Seed catalogs generally list
resistant traits of the various vegetable
Methods of Control varieties.
Site selection
A home garden site should be well drained. Planting Date Management
Avoid wet and poorly drained soils. The selection of planting date can be an
Excessive soil moisture will favor root and effective tool for disease management.
crown diseases such as damping-off as well Follow the recommended planting dates for
as crown and root rots caused by fungal soil- the particular vegetable grown. For example,
borne pathogens. Most vegetables require warm-season crops should be planted when
full sunlight for maximum yield and drying of soil temperatures are warm for good
the foliage. germination and growth. Planting these
crops when soil temperatures are cool can
Crop rotation cause increased incidence of soil-borne
Continuous plantings of vegetables within the diseases.
same plant family provide opportunities for
pathogen buildup. Do not plant the same Trap Crops
family of vegetable in the same areas year Using trap crops helps manage virus
after year. Grow the same plants or closely diseases and aphid populations. A few rows
related plants in the same soil only once of a trap crop (such as rye or corn) around
every 3 to 5 years. This practice starves out the vegetable garden will cause aphids to
most pathogens that cause stem and leaf feed there first, possibly loosening the virus
diseases. they may carry. Trap crops can limit aphid
damage and help reduce the incidence of
Diseases Free Seed and Transplants virus diseases.
Many plant diseases can be seed-borne. Do
not save seeds from year to year. This is Proper Spacing and Trellising
important to prevent a number of diseases, Space plants properly to allow growth and air
including halo blight, common blight, circulation. Staking or trellising prevents soil
anthracnose of snap beans, and bacterial contact with the foliage and fruit, reducing
the incidence of diseases such as fruit rots.
Trellising also promotes foliage drying,
discouraging the growth of pathogens.
Use a Mulch Layer solarization requires intense solar heat to be
Mulching prevents soil from splashing onto effective.
plants and also fruit from touching the bare
ground. This will help prevent rots on mature Sanitation
fruit. Mulches also are a sound cultural After harvest, remove and destroy plant
practice to help conserve soil moisture and material. Plow the soil to help break down
reduce weed infestations. debris that may harbor nematodes, fungi,
and bacteria. Plant refuse may also be
Proper Fertilization plowed under. Remove diseased plants,
Proper fertilization helps prevent vegetable plant residue, and weeds in and around the
diseases. Test soil 3 to 6 months before the vegetable garden to reduce the occurrence
growing season, and follow the of some diseases.
recommendations to supply appropriate
nutrient requirements and adjust soil pH. Pesticide Use
Proper pH prevents blossom end rot and Pesticides should be the last defense used
encourages healthy growth of tomatoes and by home gardeners once all other disease-
peppers. control options have been exhausted. Home
gardeners have access to few fungicides or
Weed Free Garden bactericides compared to commercial
Weeds can serve as virus reservoirs for growers.
several insect-transmitted viruses that can
infect homegrown vegetables. Good weed Chlorothalonil (Bravo ® or Daconil ®), maneb,
control will increase air movement and mancozeb, Terraclor ® (PCNB), sulfur, and
decrease conditions – such as excessive copper products can be used on certain crops.
moisture – that favor disease development. These products provide disease suppression
across a range of foliar diseases and are more
Avoid Tobacco When Working in the effective if they are applied in a preventive
Garden manner at the very onset or before a disease
If you use tobacco, wash your hands outbreak occur. Terraclor is used as a
thoroughly before handling plants. This transplant soil drench to suppress Southern
blight and Rhizoctonia damping-off. Copper
practice will prevent the spread of tobacco
products suppress fungi but primarily reduce
mosaic virus, which can infect many different
losses to bacterial pathogens. Sulfur is
kinds of vegetables, particularly solanaceous
suppressive to fungi and is especially effective
crops (plants related to the nightshade against powdery mildews. As with any
family) such as tomatoes and peppers. pesticide, read the label and follow the
recommended precautions to ensure the
Nematode Control chemical is applied in a safe, effective manner.
Nematodes are microscopic, soil-inhabiting
roundworms that injure vegetables and other For more information, please contact Franklin
plants by feeding on their root systems, Chukwuma, coordinator, Off-Campus Centers, at
causing decay or galling. Soil solarization 601-877-2312 or [email protected]
can be used to reduce the number of “The Alcorn State University Extension Program offers educational programs, materials,
nematodes present. This involves tilling the and equal opportunity employment to all people without regard to race, color, national
origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, or disability.”
garden and then covering the areas with a
clear plastic tarp for 6 to 8 weeks. The best
time to solarize soil is June through August,
when temperatures are at their hottest. Soil
