symptoms
Symptoms
- circleSunken, elongated dark lesions on the surface of roots (commonly carrots)
- circleCavities or pits forming within the root tissue
- circleSecondary rot developing in damaged areas in storage
help
Causes
Caused by soil-borne Pythium species, favored by wet, poorly drained, or compacted soils, especially where root crops are grown repeatedly in the same ground.
healing
Treatment
There is no effective in-season treatment; harvest promptly to limit further damage and avoid storing affected roots, as lesions provide entry points for storage rots.
shield
Prevention
Improve soil drainage, avoid overly acidic or waterlogged soil, and rotate root crops with unrelated plants for at least two to three years.