It often happens that we proceed to plant vegetables and cereals in their first stages of life and the next day we notice how slowly the plant loses its turgidity and eventually dry out.
When the environmental conditions have nothing to do with it, since we see other plants in perfect health and adapting to the new environment, we speak of Damping off.
But do you know what we are talking about? In this article we tell you what is the reason for this problem when we grow horticultural plants and who is responsible for this rapid loss of plants.
Contents
What is amortization?
The Damping off That is fungal wilt It’s a common disease horticultural seedlings They come from seeds or cuttings. It appears in the first days of life and usually its symptoms are seen more in the transplantbecause it is one of the most stressful situations for the plant.
Therefore, who is behind the Damping off is a series of fungi found in soil and affecting the roots and the lower part of the stem. They are mainly fungi, although some bacteria that collaborate with this disease have also been described.
Before or after transplanting many vegetables, generous irrigation is usually done to reduce post-transplant stress and help the plant absorb water. High soil moisture conditions facilitates the activity of the different groups of fungi that require these conditions.
However, it has been shown that temperature is not a primary factor. Although damping off occurs more often in warm regions, it can also occur in regions with cooler temperatures.
Causal agents
In the Damping off we find different well-known fungi and bacteria by professional farmers. Some of them are:
- Rhizoctonia solani
- Thielaviopsis basicola
- Pythium spp.
This disease can be caused by any of the mentioned or by the synergistic work of the 3, causing very similar visual symptoms even if the infection is caused by one or more of them.
read more: symptoms and prevention Phytophthora.
In case of higher humidity in the substrate, this can also be caused by Fusarium and even botrytis.
Usually the fungus Damping off protagonist usually Pythium spp., a fungus that prefers moist soils and warm temperatures, common transplanting conditions for many spring and summer horticultural plants.
In colder regions, it is the fungus Thielaviopsis the main actor, also with wet conditions. This species is classified as an opportunistic pathogen that affects stressed plants. And the transplant is an ideal situation for that.
rhizoctoniaa very common fungus in any type of soil, has the ability to work in cold and hot conditions, but always with a medium or high degree of humidity in the soil.
Main Symptoms of Damping Off
Need relatively wet conditions in the soil for this group of fungi to attack our plants. As we mentioned, temperature does not play such a crucial role as it can appear in hot or cold climates.
Damping off symptoms may appear either directly on the newly germinated seed or on the seedling before or after transplanting.
- Damping off: seeds with delayed germination (with cotyledons already visible) or directly without it, with a damp appearance and visual signs of rotting (soft touch, brown coloring and even the presence of mold).
- Damping off: droopy appearance, lacking in firmness, curled leaves and visual symptoms of lack of water.
Depending on the degree of the disease, many seedlings endure the first day with few symptoms, but the next day, with the increase in temperature and the incidence of the sun (causes stress on the plant), the seedlings They end up withering irreversibly.
read more: Bacillus subtilisa bacteria that fights disease.
How to Reduce the Appearance of Damping Off
The existence or not of damping off is linked to the healthiness of the soil. Agricultural areas with intensive plantations are generally the most affected.
- Transplant in optimal humidity and temperature conditions, depending on the species.
- In nurseries and nurseries, carry out an integrated control of the relative humidity of the environment and the substrate.
- Ensure good soil drainage and avoid root contact with standing water.
- Maintain living soil, rich in organic matter and with a high presence of microorganisms (bacteria, fungi and nematodes).
The use of authorized fungicides for the control of these diseases. Some of the most common are:
- FOSETIL-AL 80%
- PROPAMOCARB 60.5%
- METALAXIL 2% + PROTHIOCONAZOLE 10%
You can also find a interesting list of microorganisms which act against this type of fungi and protect the plant from damping off.
- TRICHODERMA ASPERELLUM
- TRICHODERMA HARZIANUM
- GLIOCLADIUM CATENULATUM
- AMYLOLIC BACILLUSFACIENS subsp. plantar