Comparison of New Fungicides to Manage Sclerotinia Leaf Drop of Lettuce in 2000

Sclerotinia minor and S. sclerotiorum are the two soil-borne pathogenic fungi that cause Sclerotinia leaf drop in Arizona. Moist soils and moderate temperature favor this disease. Some new fungicides in development were evaluated for control of leaf drop on lettuce during the winter vegetable growing season of 1999-2000. Sclerotia of each pathogen were applied to plots after thinning and just before the first of two applications of test compounds. In this trial, the final count of dead lettuce plants usually was numerically reduced, compared to nontreated plots, in plots infested with either pathogen that were treated with the standard compounds Ronilan or Rovral as well as the experimental compound Medallion; however, the reduction was significant only in plots infested with Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. The number of dead plants in plots infested with either Sclerotinia minor or S. sclerotiorum was significantly reduced by another experimental chemistry, Fluazinam. Finally, a biological control product, Serenade, significantly reduced disease in plots containing S. minor, but not S. sclerotiorum. Continued demonstration of efficacy by Serenade may provide the opportunity to utilize a biological control product to reduce the incidence of Sclerotinia leaf drop of lettuce caused by S. minor