New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science abstracts

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Control of bacterial soft rot of calla (Zantedeschia spp.) by pathogen exclusion, elimination and removal

P. J. Wright

New Zealand Institute for Crop and Food
Research Limited
Cronin Road, RD1
Pukekohe, New Zealand
email: wrightp@crop.cri.nz

C. M. Triggs

Department of Statistics
University of Auckland
Private Bag 92 019
Auckland, New Zealand

G. K. Burge

New Zealand Institute for Crop and Food
Research Limited
Private Bag 11 600
Palmerston North, New Zealand

Abstract  The incidence and severity of bacterial soft rot of calla (Zantedeschia spp.) tubers at harvest were substantially reduced by planting method, chemical control measures, and removal of infected plant material. Callas grown using a sawdust-shadecloth method had fewer soft-rotted plants and tubers than callas grown in soil. Dipping tubers before planting in an aqueous solution of 0.08% copper hydroxide, 0.12% thiram, plus 0.03% benomyl reduced plant and tuber losses from bacterial soft rot. Drenching plants during the growing season with an aqueous solution of 0.12% thiram, 0.08% copper hydroxide, plus 0.15% quintozene gave further control against rots. Weekly removal of rotting foliage and tubers during the growing season also reduced levels of plant and tuber soft rots. This study has demonstrated that effective control of calla soft rot can be achieved using disease management that combines appropriate pathogen exclusion, elimination, and removal methods.

Keywords   Zantedeschia spp.; calla; soft rot; Erwinia carotovora; agronomic methods; chemical control; sawdust growing media

H04064; Online publication date 13 May 2005 Received 23 July 2004; accepted 10 February 2005
New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science, 2005, Vol. 33: 117-123
0014-0671/05/3302-0117 © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2005

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