Corky Root Rot
Corky root rot is a ubiquitous soil-borne disease of tomato caused by the pathogen Pyrenochaeta lycopersici. This filamentous fungus is found on the roots of many crops and can persist in the soil up to 15 years as microsclerotia.
Pyrenochaeta lycopersici is a fungal plant pathogen, infecting tomatoes and aubergine. It causes brown root rot and corky root rot.
Using Actinovate to Control Corky Root Rot
Actinovate biological fungicides offer growers and home gardeners a very powerful and versatile Organic (OMRI Listed) tool to control fungal pathogens. Actinovate works just like other biological controls (the classic example of a biological control is the use of ladybugs to control aphids), only the organisms in Actinovate act on a microscopic level. It uses a natural enemy of fungal pathogens to keep these pathogens from destroying your crops. This natural enemy is a beneficial bacteria called Streptomyces lydicus WYEC 108, which is a naturally occurring soil bacterium that was originally isolated from the roots of a linseed plant in England, and patented worldwide. Actinovate is effective and versatile, utilized both indoors and outdoors, in markets including greenhouse, nursery, landscaping, turf, and homeowners.
How does Actinovate protect against fungal pathogens?
Actinovate can be utilized to combat fungal soil diseases, as well as foliar diseases. The organism within Actinovate colonizes plant structures in a beneficial symbiotic manner, when introduced into the root zone or applied to foliage. The Streptomyces lydicus spores germinate and form a mutually beneficial relationship within the rhizosphere of plants by feeding off the plant’s waste and secreting beneficial byproducts, such as Chitinase to break down fungal walls, byproducts that kill or repel other microbes, and iron carriers to starve competing microbes. Essentially, the S. lydicus feeds off the root’s secretions, and discharges toxins that keep other microbes (including pathogens) out. This assortment of byproducts and toxins discharged by S. lydicus means that Actinovate utilizes several modes of anti-fungal action to protect plants, lawns, and gardens from pathogens, rather than relying on a single mode of action as many other fungicides do.
What pathogens can Actinovate help control against?
Similar to a probiotic used to keep our own digestive systems in healthy balance, Actinovate works within the root zone microbiome to keep the system healthy and in-balance. Actinovate can be used on annual and perennial bedding plants and flowers, roses, potted flowers, foliage plants, trees, shrubs, and lawns located in homes, greenhouses, and home landscapes, as well as fruits including tree fruits, berries, and melons, nuts including a wide variety of tree nuts, and vegetables including leafy vegetables, root crops, cole crops, peppers, and tomatoes.
Actinovate’s S. lydicus organism will actively control against several common soil pathogens, such as Damping Off Fungus, Root Rot, Turf Brown Patch, Pythium, Rhizoctonia, Phytophthora, Fusarium, Verticillium, Sclerotinia, and many others.
In foliar applications, Actinovate will suppress Downy Mildew, Gray Mold, Powdery Mildew, Botrytus, Phytomatotricum, Sclerotinia, Alternaria, and more.
When should Actinovate be applied?
As with most biological controls, it is best to use Actinovate as a preventative tool, rather than curative treatment. For best results, apply Actinovate as early as possible to the plant’s root system, and reapply every 2-12 weeks as needed. In foliar applications, it is best to apply prior to disease development, or at the first signs of pathogen infection, and repeat at 7-14 day intervals to protect new foliage.
Actinovate is relatively safe when compared with many other fungicides, though caution is advised when using any pesticide. Please read the label thoroughly for all precautionary statements and PPE requirements. When sprayed onto foliage or used in chemigation via sprinkler or other spray irrigation, the re-entry period is only one hour, or once the solution has dried. Actinovate can be applied up to and including the day of harvest, so the pre-harvest interval is not a concern. Always clean application equipment prior to use of this product, and use the prepared Actinovate solution within 4 hours of preparation
