Botrytis cinereamanagement in ornamental production: a continuous battle

Precision Agriculture Digital Technologies for Sustainable Fungal Disease Management of Ornamental Plants

“…The main fungicides used on ornamental crops are boscalid, prochloraz, pyraclostrobin, carbendazim, and iprodione, as shown by a survey on residues from plants on sale [20]. In particular, fungicides belonging to strobilurin and phenylamide groups are widely applied for the control of soilborne diseases [15], while to prevent grey mould both multi-site fungicides, such as captan, and site-specific ones, such as methylbenzimidazole carbamates, dicarboximides, succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors, anilinopyrimidines, quinone outside inhibitors, phenylpyrroles, and sterol biosynthesis inhibitors class III fungicides are conventionally used [21]. These fungicides are also used for the control of wilt diseases, together with copper oxychloride [22].…”

“…These fungicides are also used for the control of wilt diseases, together with copper oxychloride [22]. Fungicide effectiveness is closely related to environmental conditions, flower developmental stage, application method, selectivity of active molecules and level of fungicide resistance by the pathogens [17,21]. The most used application methods in the nursery sector are air-blast sprayers and boom vertical or horizontal sprayers (Figure 1A,C), while the handled gun sprayer or knapsack are the most used for protected crops (Figure 1B,D), although the latter is considered as the least effective.…”

“…The most used application methods in the nursery sector are air-blast sprayers and boom vertical or horizontal sprayers (Figure 1A,C), while the handled gun sprayer or knapsack are the most used for protected crops (Figure 1B,D), although the latter is considered as the least effective. Many new technologies have been developed for open-field crops, such as intelligent variable-rate sprayers or other systems based on Geographic Information System (GIS) data, while the greenhouse sector is still predominantly based on traditional methods [17,21].…”

“…Agronomic practices include a wide range of methods directly and indirectly contributing to disease control [62], starting with common management techniques (e.g., crop density, pruning, fertilisation), moving to disease control actions (e.g., sanitation, ionising irradiation, resistance induction, use of biocontrol agents), and finally to practices with both agronomic and disease control significance (breeding, choice of variety/cultivar, grafting, rotation, etc.). Among greenhouse techniques, the opportunity of controlling the greenhouse environments by aerating, heating, and ventilating, as well as the carbon dioxide fertilisation, can significantly reduce the appearance and spread of many airborne fungal diseases on ornamentals [21]. Moreover, light management, strongly influenced by covering with plastic films and the use of next generation lamps, can influence sporulation and pathogen spreading [62].…”

Comparative Performance of Reduced-risk Fungicides and Biorational Products in Management of Postharvest Botrytis Blight on Bigleaf Hydrangea Cut Flowers

“…This opportunistic fungus has a devastating impact in both greenhouse and field production, and in postharvest environments, including storage and transportation. The fungal pathogen B. cinerea causes petal specking, leaf and fruit rots, and flower blight on many important horticultural crops, including ornamentals (Bika et al, 2020;Darras et al, 2005;Salinas and Verhoeff, 1995;Tomas et al, 1995). Infection with the pathogen usually starts in the early growth and development of a plant under certain environmental conditions, but the pathogen may remain quiescent and inactive (Prusky, 1996), becoming aggressive when it senses certain physical and physiological changes in the host's tissue (Williamson et al, 2007).…”