Stem rot is a disease caused by a fungus infection in the stem of crop plants. Fungus that causes stem rot are in the Rhizoctonia, Fusarium or Pythium genera. Stem rot can readily infect crops that are in their vegetative or flowering stages. The disease can survive up to five years in the soil.[1] Symptoms of stem rot includes staining of infected area, reduced crop yield and crop failure. The disease can be spread through the use of unfiltered water as well as unsterilized tools. Also leaving previous dead roots in soil can increase the risk of stem rot. Spores can also enter the plant through injured stem tissue on the plant including from insect attacks. The fungus impedes stem functions like transporting nutrients. It can cause water to leak through the lesions of stem tissue. Common infected crop plants are soybeans and potatoes. An issue with maintaining this disease is the lack of management by crop producers. Producers of soybeans tend to not manage for the disease because it is not normally yield limiting in a large area. Fungicides can be used to manage the disease as well as burning the crop after harvest or letting it decompose.[2]

Stalk rot

Species that cause stalk rot include:

SpeciesHosts
Cladosporium ear rotmaize/corn
Fusarium culmorumwheat, barley
Glomerella graminicolamaize, sorghum, ryegrass, bluegrass, barley, wheat
Gibberella zeaemaize
Phialophora gregata, Cadophora gregata, Brown stem rot (BSR)soybeans
Phyllachora maydismaize
Phytophthora capsicicucumbers
Phytophthora sojae[3]soybean
Phytophthora tentaculataChrysanthemum, Verbena, Delphinium ajacis
Pythium graminicolabent grass, turmeric, cotton, barley, wheat, rice, beans, peas, sugarcane
Rhizoctonia
Sclerotium oryzae[4]rice
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (White mold)beans, can befall more than 350 species
Stenocarpella maydiscorn, canes
Waitea circinatamaize

Causative chemical agents produced by these fungal species may include mycotoxins: Trichothecene. Nematodes may cause symptoms similar to stem or stalk rots.

References

  1. ↑ Peltier, Angelique J., Carl A. Bradley, Martin I. Chilvers, Dean K. Malvick, Daren S. Mueller, Kiersten A. Wise, and Paul D. Esker. "Biology, Yield Loss and Control of Sclerotinia Stem Rot of Soybean." Journal of Integrated Pest Management 3.2 (2012): 1-7.
  2. ↑ Giesler, Loren J. "Soybean Disease." Sclerotinia Stem Rot,. University of Nebraska-Lincoln, n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2014
  3. ↑ Plant Disease: Phytophthora Root and Stem Rot, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, accessed 2021
  4. ↑ Stem Rot of Rice, University of California AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES Integrated Pest Management Program, 2004
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