Causal Agent: 

Phytophthora sp.

 

Characteristic Symptoms:
 
Damping-off, root rot, stem rot and fruit rot.
   
Wilting of the plant.
   
The disease is serious during wet weather or in wet environments.
   
Conditions for Disease Development:
 
The disease is favored by warm, wet weather and is polycyclic within seasons.
   
The pathogen may survive as overwintering spores in the soil for many months and serve as inoculum or in infected plant tissues.
   
Fruits in contact with the soil are most prone to infection.
   
Sporangia/spores are easily dispersed by wind and rain splashes to leaves and stems of healthy plants.
   
Excess soil moisture due to excess rain or irrigation, and soil temperature of 18°C–30°C arising from high air temperature are needed for disease development.
   
Management and Control:
 
Use pathogen-free/certified seeds.
   
Drench seedlings with chemical fungicides like copper-based fungicides (e.g. Cupravit®, Super BlueⓇ, Vitigran blueⓇ, FunguranⓇ, KocideⓇ, Hydroxide superⓇ), difenoconazole (e.g. ScoreⓇ, MontanaⓇ, PursueⓇ, BashⓇ), metalaxyl+mancozeb (e.g. Ridomil Gold MZ 68 WGⓇ, Apron XL 350 ESⓇ) or carbendazim ( (Bavistin 50 DFⓇ, Goldazim 500 SSⓇ, Minx 500 SCⓇ, SuperdazimⓇ, Avert 50 WPⓇ, BiostinⓇ).
   
Avoid over watering or excessive moisture.
   

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