through wounds and natural openings such as new root shoots. Symptoms occur as brown

lesions which can girdle the hypocotyl at the root/shoot juncture. In tomato seedlings the fungus

can cause yellowing, stunting, and loss of cotyledons (source of food). Field symptoms are

exhibited by wilting of the plant during the warmest part of the day but the plant may recover

during the evening hours. As the plant begins to bear fruit the increased stress may cause

symptoms to become more prominent. Some plants may produce irregular fruit and in some

situations may lead to death (McGovern and Datnoff, 1992).

 Cultural practices used to control FORL include using disease free transplants, avoiding

over-watering, and using mixed tray types such as plastic or styrofoam due to different watering

requirements. Trays should be disinfected prior to reuse. Avoid injury to transplants or later

stages of plant development because wounds provide an entry point for a pathogen. Maintain

optimum soil pH between 6-7 and do not drag trays along the ground because the trays can pick-

up spores and spread disease. Remove or plow in plant debris after harvest to reduce

populations of soil pathogens and sterilize stakes prior to re-use. Rotate with a non-susceptible

crop, such as a monocot type of plant like corn (McGovern and Datnoff, 1992).

 The use of a biological control which increases the populations of microorganisms such

as Trichoderma harzianum, Aspergillus ochraceus Glomus intraradix, orPenicillium funiculosum

can effectively decrease the populations of FORL in the soil (McGovern and Datnoff, 1992).

 Heating the soil by the use of transparent plastics in conjunction with biological control

may be a viable alternative in the control Fusarium crown rot (McGovern and Datnoff, 1992).

Chemical controls are another method of management of Fusarium Crown and root rot. Soil

fumigants such as methyl bromide mixed in varying concentrations with chloropicrin, have been