The Botrytis Merry-Go-Round

Jennifer Zurko & Bill Calkins

If you ask Ball’s Tech On Demand team what they’re seeing in greenhouses most often, there’s one answer—Botrytis. And it’s a problem that growers face all year long,

According to Technical Services Specialist Todd Cavins, Botrytis is such a common problem because it affects crops in all stages, starting with cuttings and throughout production, especially on weak and stressed plants. It’s also an issue on almost all types of crops.

The good news is there are new high-tech chemistries on the market, plus some promising biological controls, that can help control Botrytis. There are sound cultural practices, as well, that can reduce Botrytis risk, and plenty of new research is currently underway trialing more options.

“We seem to run into Botrytis concerns all the time. When you see signs of breakdown, it’s time to adjust your environment, watering practices and kick your fungicide applications into high gear,” said Todd. “And don’t leave your plants wet at night.”

Some symptoms of Botrytis to be on the lookout for include leaf breakdown, flower petals “melting,” brown lesions, and gray, fuzzy mold.

If you need help with Botrytis, or any other greenhouse challenge, reach out via the Greenhouse Tech Team Facebook group and subscribe to the newsletter at growertalks.com/Newsletters. GT