DiseasehighMay–Oct

White mould (Sclerotinia rot)

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

This description was machine-translated.

How to spot it

White mould, also called Sclerotinia rot, is a fungal disease with a broad host range that attacks lettuce, beans and many other crops. A watery, soft rot with a cotton wool like white fungal coating develops at the base of the stem; inside it, black, hard resting bodies (sclerotia) form, which survive in the soil for years. Affected plants wilt suddenly and fall over.

Prevention

Plant widely and airily, so that the stands dry off quickly after rain, and water in the morning at the root rather than over the foliage. Remove diseased plants at once, together with the soil clinging to them, and dispose of them with the household waste. The sclerotia survive in the compost. Keep a break of several years and avoid tight rotations with other susceptible crops such as beans, carrots or celery.