Rhizoctonia hard brown rot, caused by Rhizoctonia solani, can affect the fruit, however

affected areas can be removed, and the fruit is still edible. Cultural practices for control of

Rhizoctonia hard brown rot include the use of mulch which reduces contact of the plant with the

soil. Chemical management of the disease includes the use of Benomyl or Thiram, which can

be used to aid in the control of diseases caused by Rhizoctonia species. Table 4.6 lists

chemicals that can be used for preventive control of Rhizoctonia caused diseases.

 Verticillium wilt, caused by Verticillium albo-atrum, exhibits symptoms such as mature

leaves with inter-veinal browning which can cause eventual death of the tissue. This disease is

prevalent in calcareous soils in south Florida, however, it is not as common in central Florida

(Hochmuth, 1988c). Cultural practices to control verticillium wilt include the use of resistant

or tolerant varieties, however, these varieties are not currently available in Florida. It is

important to avoid injury to transplants and avoid installation of infected plants (Florida Plant

Disease Control Guide, 1993). It also is recommended to remove or plow in plant debris after

harvest of previous crops (Albregts and Howard, 1984). Table 4.6 lists chemicals that can be

used to control verticillium wilt. The principal chemicals are chloropicrin, methyl bromide, and

Vapam.

Nematodes

 There are several nematodes that pose a constant threat to Florida strawberry production,

with the most common being sting and root knot nematode followed by bud and leaf nematode

(Hochmuth, 1988c).

 Cultural practices for control of nematodes include the use of non-host cover crops. It

is also recommended to allow crop debris to completely decay prior to installation of new