CHAPTER 12: Chemical Control of Fusarium Wilt on Greenhouse Crops

Fusarium wilt diseases have been a serious problem for the greenhouse production of key ornamentals (e.g., chrysanthemum and carnation) and vegetables (e.g., tomato, cucurbits, lettuce, and basil) for many years. The early failure of available fungicides to achieve a high level of control over these diseases led to exploration and development of alternative methods, including clean stock production through tissue culture, soil steaming and fumigation, resistant cultivars, nutritional management, and biological control. One of the few fungicides recommended for control of Fusarium wilt on greenhouse crops was benomyl, which is no longer available for ornamentals in the United States. Since 2000, a number of new active ingredients have been introduced and evaluated for control of Fusarium wilt on some ornamentals and vegetables grown in greenhouses. However, the number of chemicals registered for use on vegetables and ornamentals has strongly decreased (except in the United States) because of the loss of many active ingredients during the reregistration process and the introduction of severe regulations for pesticide registration in many countries.