Causal Agent: 

Fungus (Sclerotium rolfsii)

Characteristic Symptoms:
 
The most common symptom is the brown to black rot or sunken tissues of the stem near the soil line, which often lead to wilting and death of the plant.
   
Under moist conditions, mass of white thread-like mycelia develop on the lesion often girdling the stem base and mustard-size light tan to reddish brown, hard and round sclerotia are embedded in the mycelia.
   
Crops Affected:
 
Solanaceous (pepper, tomato, eggplant)
   
Cucurbits
   
Legumes
   
Allium
   
Management and Control:
 
Avoid acidic soil. 
   
Application of ammonium nitrate before planting or as side dress can help reduce incidence.
   
Crop rotation with non-host like corn is effective in reducing inoculum in the soil.
   
 Drench with chemical fungicides like difenoconazole (e.g. ScoreⓇ, MontanaⓇ, PursueⓇ, BashⓇ), Pyraclostrobin (e.g. Cabrio 25 ECⓇ), 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Ⓡ).

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