Studies on Growth and Yield Losses in Strawberry and Its Relation to Soil Borne Diseases in Major Producing Governorates in Egypt

Abstract

These experiments were carried out at Ismaelia, Beheira and Kalubia Governorates on Nuclear, foundation and classical strawberry plants. The aim of the work to study the effect of strawberry transplant order i.e., mother plants or super elite plants, on some vegetative growth and transplant productivity Moreover to collect strawberry samples from roots and runners showing disease symptoms stunting root rots, wilt and death also to isolate and identify the causal organisms and their effects on growth and yield losses. Results show that number of runners and leaves increased significantly in tube plants and nuclear plants compared with the other tested orders. Number of transplants increased significantly in nuclear and foundation plants. Cultivars and transplant order were affected by soil borne diseases whereas, Tamar and Yael cultivars showed some infected plants as stunting, root rots, wilt and death in either open field as classical plants and greenhouse as foundation plants. Higher root system diseases was recorded in Tamar compared with Yael in both greenhouse and open field plants. The percentage of naturally diseased cv. Tamar were 3.6 % and 1.6 % in open field (classic plants) and greenhouse (foundation plants) respectively. While the Yael cultivar recorded 0.8 % and zero in either classic plants and foundation ones respectively. The causal agents were Fusarium solani, Fusarium oxysporum, Macrophomina phaseolina and Rhizoctonia solani. Results show also that Fusarium genus was the most fungal frequency occurred which recorded 41.2% followed by Macrophomina which gave 35.3% frequency while Rhizoctonia was less which recorded 11.8%. Roots of strawberry transplants were more infected organs compared to crowns as they recorded 44.7% and 33.3% respectively. Results indicate also that the highest infection percent was found in Kalubia followed by Ismailia and the lowest was Behira governorate. Finally, results indicated clear reduction in yield and fruit quality due to the different root rot diseases. Ragab, M. E et al. 22

Journal of Plant Protection Research

“…The total world production of strawberries has reached up to 8,337,099 tons (Roshdy et al 2021). Several pathogen microorganisms attack strawberry plants and cause severe diseases in different developmental stages in either nursery or field production such as root rot, wilt, leaf blight, spots and fruit rot which reduce the quantity and quality of strawberry productivity, resulting in both yield and economic losses (Ragab et al 2017) Serrano (1928) first discovered Pantoea ananatis on pineapple, where it caused fruitlet rot in the Philippines. The bacterium causes a wide range of disease symptoms on both monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants.…”