White mold
(Sclerotinia lettuce drop)—Sclerotinia spp.
White mold is a distinctive disease that most often affects stems and foliage at the base of plants.
Affected tissue develops a soft, watery rot and white, cottony mycelium forms on the surface. Plants may
wilt if stems are girdled by the decay. As affected tissue dries up, it turns yellow to white, and hard
black sclerotia form on the surface or inside the dead stems.
Life cycle
SolutionsWhite mold is favored by a wet soil surface. Use of raised beds and careful furrow irrigation that does
not overflow onto bed surfaces can help limit damage. Space plants well enough to allow good air circulation.
Remove and destroy entire infected plants and crop residues as soon as you see the mold. Sclerotia can
be destroyed by burying them 10 inches or more below the soil surface. Solarization may also give control.
|
Wilting
of outer leaves on lettuce |
Infected
crown of lettuce |
White
mold on brussels sprouts |
|
