{"id":24853,"date":"2022-03-16T09:31:51","date_gmt":"2022-03-16T08:31:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/biocontroltechnologies.com\/control-of-sclerotinia-spp\/"},"modified":"2026-02-27T11:24:50","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T10:24:50","slug":"control-of-sclerotinia-spp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/biocontroltechnologies.com\/en\/2022\/03\/16\/control-of-sclerotinia-spp\/","title":{"rendered":"Control of Sclerotinia spp.<\/i>"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Sclerotinia spp. or white mold (SCLESP)<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Consequences of the attack of pathogens of the genus Sclerotinia<\/i> spp. on crops: <\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Classification, disease cycle and distribution; integrated management and plant health.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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In the genus Sclerotinia<\/em>, we find fungi that have a wide host range, which makes their distribution worldwide. <\/p>

The genus \n Sclerotinia <\/b>\n<\/i>is considered a causal agent of rotting <\/b>in various crops, which is associated with great economic losses in the field of agricultural practices.<\/p>

In this blog you will find all the necessary information about the phytopathogen<\/b>, as well as keys for the integrated control of the disease and the use of the phytosanitary T34 Biocontrol\u00ae<\/a> as a plant health measure. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Taxonomy and Distribution.<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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To learn more about white rot in lettuce, caused by <\/span>\n Sclerotinia spp<\/span>\n<\/i>it is necessary to know the classification of this fungus. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Taxonomy.<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Kingdom<\/strong>: Fungus<\/em><\/p>

Division<\/strong>: Ascomycota<\/em> <\/p>

Class<\/strong>: Leotiomycetes<\/em><\/p>

Order<\/strong>: Helotiales<\/em><\/p>

Family<\/strong>: Sclerotiniaceae<\/em><\/p>

Genus<\/strong>: Sclerotinia<\/em><\/p>

Species<\/strong>: Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, S. minor and S. trifoliorum<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Geographic Distribution.<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The genus Sclerotinia<\/em> spp. is a pathogen of wide global distribution, present in practically all continents and affecting more than 500 plant species, including crops of high economic value. Its ability to adapt to different climatic conditions and soil types makes it a significant threat to agricultural production in various regions of the world. <\/p>

The most relevant species, such as Sclerotinia sclerotiorum<\/em> and Sclerotinia minor<\/em>, have been reported in temperate and subtropical climates, where high humidity and moderate temperatures favor their development. This fungus is especially problematic in horticultural crops such as lettuce, tomato and sunflower, as well as in extensive crops such as soybean and rapeseed. Its persistence in the soil by means of sclerotia allows it to survive for long periods in the absence of a host, which makes it difficult to control and facilitates its global dispersal through contaminated seeds, soil and plant debris. <\/p>

The economic impact of Sclerotinia<\/em> spp. is considerable, since it can cause significant losses in yield and crop quality. Therefore, its study and integrated management are essential to reduce its incidence and minimize its negative effects on agricultural production. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Sclerotinia sclerotiorum<\/em> ERD-8356. Spores x 1.000. Photo: Enrique Rubio. <\/strong> <\/p>

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2. Crops affected by this disease.<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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These are necrotrophic <\/span>\n necrotrophic fungi<\/span>\n<\/b> which affect a wide variety of crops including <\/span>the<\/span> lettuce,<\/span> cabbage, <\/span>tobacco, sunflower, potato, alfalfa,<\/span> carrot, celery, cucumber, eggplant, <\/span>legumes,<\/span> tomatoes and melons, among others.<\/span>. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>

Within the species of the genus <\/span>Sclerotinia<\/span><\/i> the causal agents of some plant diseases, such as the <\/span>White mold<\/span><\/b>the so-called <\/span>damping-off<\/span><\/b> (fungal wilt) or the disease known as “fungal wilt” (fungal wilt) or the disease known as “fungal wilt” (fungal wilt).<\/span>Dollar Spot<\/span><\/b>” <\/span>(Sclerotinia homeocarpa<\/span><\/i>). <\/span> <\/span><\/p>

It should also be clarified that fungal wilt <\/span>\n fungal wilt<\/span>\n<\/b> is not only caused by this fungus, but also by species of the genus <\/span>\n Phytophthora, Rhizoctonia, Botrytis <\/span>\n<\/i>y<\/span>\n Pythium<\/span>\n<\/i>are also related to this disease. <\/span> <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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NECROTROPHIC FUNGI<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Necrotrophic fungi are a type of plant pathogen that infect and destroy plant tissues by secreting toxic compounds, hydrolytic enzymes and other metabolites that cause programmed cell death or necrosis in the plant. Once the cells die, these fungi degrade the tissues and absorb the released nutrients, thus completing their life cycle. <\/p>

Unlike biotrophic fungi, which depend on the survival of the host cell for nutrients, necrotrophic fungi do not establish symbiotic relationships with the plant, but invade aggressively and develop on decaying plant material. Among the most representative examples of necrotrophic fungi are Botrytis cinerea<\/em> (causing gray rot), Sclerotinia sclerotiorum<\/em> and Fusarium spp.<\/em> all of which are responsible for severe diseases in agricultural crops of great economic importance. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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3. Symptoms and signs.<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The <\/span>\n white mold<\/span>\n<\/b> is a disease that can occur in <\/span>multiple crops \n crops<\/span>\n<\/b>whether vegetables, fruits or ornamentals, generally caused by <\/span>\n S. sclerotiorum<\/span>\n<\/i> y\/<\/span>\n or S. minor<\/span>\n<\/i>. El moho blanco tambi\u00e9n es conocido como \u201c<\/span>\n soft rot<\/span>\n<\/b>” o “<\/span>\n Neck rot<\/span>\n<\/b>“.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>

La enfermedad se identifica por una <\/span>coloraci\u00f3n parduzca temprana de las hojas, la planta completa se colapsa haciendo <\/span>imposible su <\/span>recolecci\u00f3n\/cosecha. <\/p>

In the final phase of the cycle, the effects of the disease can be seen in the lettuce crop, with the following symptoms <\/span>\n wilt<\/span>\n<\/b> wilting of the leaves<\/strong> and the presence of a <\/span>\n mycelium <\/span>\n<\/b>of cottony and whitish <\/strong>\n cottony and whitish mycelium <\/span>\n<\/b>on the basal part of the stem.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>

This mycelium produces aggregates of hyphae that produce a dark substance(melanin<\/strong>) from which irregular, black fruiting bodies originate, known as sclerotia.<\/span>\n sclerotia.<\/span>\n<\/b><\/span> <\/span> <\/span><\/p>

White rot<\/strong> of lettuce is <\/span>favored by low temperatures (10-20\u00baC) and <\/span> high<\/span> humidity conditions. <\/span> <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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GLOSSARY<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n Mycelium<\/em>\n<\/strong>The set of filaments or hyphae that constitute the thallus of fungi. It is involved in the growth, reproduction and death of the fungus(source<\/a>).<\/p>

Hypha<\/strong>: A fungal filament that forms from spores and represents the structural unit of most fungi.<\/p>

Fruiting body<\/strong>: also called the reproductive body or sporocarp, is the part of the fungus that performs reproductive functions and is the sexual part of filamentous fungi(source<\/a>).<\/p>

Sclerotium<\/strong>: a fungal structure of hard consistency, developed as a form of resistance to unfavorable conditions(source<\/a>).<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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4. Disease Cycle.<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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White rot of lettuce is a monocyclic disease of lettuce <\/span>\n monocyclic disease<\/span>\n<\/b>The plant has only primary infection and once the plant tissue has become diseased, it is no longer contagious. This means that <\/span>\n the pathogen does not produce spores<\/span>\n<\/b> or secondary inoculum<\/span>\n during the growing season<\/span>\n<\/b>. Plant to plant spread can occur very exceptionally, which rarely happens.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The <\/span>\n disease cycle<\/span>\n<\/b> starts in the soil when the resting structures, <\/span>\n sclerotia<\/span>\n<\/b>begin the process of <\/span>\n germination<\/span>\n<\/b>which has two phases: <\/span> <\/span><\/p>

1. CARPOGENIC,<\/strong> Appearance of ascospores <\/span>\n ascospores appear<\/span>\n<\/b> which are collected in the <\/span>\n apothecia<\/span>\n<\/b>the <\/span>dispersion will be through the <\/span>wind. Represents the <\/span>The most common way of infection is in situations of prolonged leaf wetness and temperatures between 12 and 24\u00baC.<\/span> <\/span>
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2. MICELIOGENIC<\/strong>, the sclerotium develops a mycelium that <\/span>attacks the parts of the plant that are <\/span>in contact with the soil surface<\/span> . <\/span> <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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The pathogen<\/strong> survives<\/strong> in soil or infected tissues, in the form of sclerotia<\/strong> and also as mycelium<\/strong> on dead\/living plants. During spring or early summer, the sclerotia germinate<\/strong> and produce slender stalks ending in a cup-shaped apothecium 5-15 mm in diameter, where ascospores are produced inside sacs (asca). A significant number of ascospores<\/strong> are discharged (2-3 weeks), travel by wind<\/strong> until they land, germinate and cause infection <\/strong>in weak or sensitive<\/strong> aerial tissues of the plant. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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5. Disease management (Integrated Control).<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Here are some keys to control pests and diseases <\/strong>whose action takes into account the balance of ecosystems and is respectful of the environment.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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1. Use resistant lettuce<\/strong> varieties, although there are few varieties that show appreciable levels of resistance. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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2. Avoid high planting densities, spacing the distance<\/strong> between rows, always maintaining planting densities that maximize the crop, but producing the space that generates a humid microclimate. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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3. Reduce irrigation<\/strong> frequencies to 12 to 24 h leaf wetness <\/strong>periods. Water early in the morning to allow the sun to dry the leaves<\/strong> before noon and also keep the soil surface dry. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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4. Nitrogen<\/strong> applications should not exceed optimum doses<\/strong>. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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5. Good management of weeds<\/strong>, mainly broadleaf weeds, is important.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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6. Crop rotation<\/strong>, in the case of this disease is a measure of little value due to the long survival periods of sclerotia and the wide range of host plants parasitized by Sclerotinia<\/em> spp. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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7. Burying infected residues<\/strong> may prevent germination of sclerotia since germination only occurs near the soil surface. However, subsequent plowing in the following season may bring the sclerotia to the surface again. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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8. Key<\/strong> to the control of this disease is to reduce the levels of sclerotia<\/strong> (inoculum) in the soil and this can be achieved with treatments of <\/p>