Fusarium stem and fruit rot of sweet peppers in the glasshouse

A stem and fruit rot of sweet peppers (Capsicum annuum) occurred in 1992 in West Sussex affecting a large proportion of plants of cv. Tasty and to a lesser extent cv. Mazurka. Fusarium solani was isolated from the stem lesions and also from a short distance above and below them. The disease was largely nodal. Distinctive fruit symptoms also occurred. Symptoms were reproduced by inoculation of wounds on the stem. On agar and in a small in vivo test the pathogen was sensitise to benomyl at 2 μg ml. The disinfectants, commercial sodium hypochlorite, Purogene and Tego 51 effectively killed macrospores following exposure for 15 min.