Causal Agent: 

Bacterium (Erwinia carotovora var. carotovora and Pseudomonas marginalis pv. marginalis)

Characteristic Symptoms:
 

Early symptoms appear as water-soaked lesions and expand rapidly.
   
P. marginalis causes a wet, slimy soft rot and unpleasant smell.
   
Conditions for Disease Development
 
The disease thrives in warm, humid climates and is most serious in tropical, subtropical, and humid continental regions.
   
It occurs in the field but more serious during transportation or in the storage.
   
It can survive in the soil.
   
The bacteria can spread by insects and by cultural practices such as irrigation and farm equipments/machinery.
   

Infection is through damaged areas, often caused by fertilizer burn or hail injury in the field, but can be associated with the damage during harvesting.
   
Management and Control:
 
Use of pathogen-free seeds
   
Crop rotation.
   
Strict field sanitation and monitoring for early symptoms
   
Remove infected plants from seedbeds and close monitoring of the remaining plants
   
Disinfection of tools and equipment after use
   
Remove volunteer and weedy crucifers that may serve as alternate hosts for the pathogen.
   
Spray with protective copper-based fungicides (e.g. Cupravit®, Vitigran Blue®, Nordox 50®).

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