Carnation (Dianthus) Diseases
Gary W. Moorman, Professor of Plant Pathology
| Disease | Symptoms | Pathogen/Cause | Management |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALTERNARIA LEAF SPOT | Small purplish spots form on leaves. Their centers become brown while the leaf yellows. | Alternaria dianthicola or Alternaria dianthi | Apply chlorothalonil, propiconazole, fludioxonil, copper hydroxide, iprodione, mancozeb, or mancozeb + thiophanate methyl to protect healthy plants. |
| BACTERIAL SLOW WILT OR STUNT | Wilting, twisting, curling and stunting of lower leaves and side shoots followed by death of lower leaves. Wilted plants may recover only to wilt again. Stunted plants have narrow, yellow-green leaves. Symptoms require several weeks to develop. | Erwinia chrysanthemi | Grow in raised beds pasteurized between crops. Use culture indexed cuttings free of the pathogen. Destroy infected plants. |
| BACTERIAL WILT | Leaves turn gray-green then yellow and die. Roots rot. Vascular tissue browns.Cracks develop in internode tissue. Slime oozes from these cracks when humidity is high. | Pseudomonas caryophylli | Pot and propagate in pasteurized raised beds. Use clean, disinfested tools. Use culture-indexed cuttings free of the pathogen. Destroy infected plants. |
| BOTRYTIS BLIGHT | Petals turn brown and are covered with gray, fungal growth. | Botrytis cinerea | Space plants to insure good air circulation. Maintain low humidity. Avoid watering late in the day. Remove crop debris. Apply chlorothalonil, cupric hydroxide, iprodione, mancozeb, or fludioxonil. |
| FUSARIUM WILT | Lower leaves yellow and wilt up one side of plant. Symptoms progress up plant. Top of main shoot grows at right angle to main stem. Late in the disease, root and stems rot. | Fusarium oxysporum | Pot and propagate in pasteurized raised benches. Use culture indexed plants free of the pathogen. |
| FUSARIUM STEM ROT | Reddish-brown spots at the base. No vascular discoloration occurs beyond the rotted area. | Fusarium graminearum, F. avenaceum, or F. culmorum | Plant only healthy, pathogen-free cuttings in pasteurized, raised beds. |
| GREASY BLOTCH | Small, web-like patterns give leaves a greasy appearance. Leaves yellow and die. | Zygophiala jamaicensis | Maintain relative humidity below 85%. |
| PHIALOPHORA WILT | Plants wilt, leaves yellow, and vascular tissue is discolored dark brown. | Phialophora cinerescens | See Fusarium wilt above. |
| RHIZOCTONIA STEM ROT | Stems at the soil level have a lesion with a brown border. Stems have dry shredded appearance. | Rhizoctonia solani | Plant in pasteurized, raised beds. Apply thiophanate methyl, PCNB or iprodione as a soil drench to protect healthy plants. |
| RUST | Small blisters containing rust-red spores form on leaves. | Uromyces dianthi | Apply chlorothalonil, propiconazole, myclobutanil, ziram, mancozeb + thiophanate methyl, triadimefon, or triforine to protect healthy plants. |
| VIRUSES | Leaves may be mottled, have yellow spotting, dead flecks, line or ring spot patterns. Plant may be distorted or have flower color breaking. | 15 different viruses are known. | Plant virus-indexed cuttings. Maintain good insect and mite control. Destroy infected plants. |
Alternaria leaf spot.
Rust Fusarium wilt.
Active Ingredients and Trade Names of the Chemicals
| FRAC Group No. | Risk Level | Class | Active ingredient | REI Restricted Entry Interval | Trade names (EPA Reg. no.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | Benzimidazole | thiophanate methyl | 12 | 3336 (1001-69), OHP 6672 (51036-329-59807), Fungo Flo (51036-329-59807), Systec 1998 (48234-12) |
| 2 | 3 | Dicarboximide | iprodione | 12 | Chipco 26GT (100-1138), (51036-361-59807) |
| 3 | 2 | Piperazine | triforine | 12 | Triforine (241-355) |
| Triazole | propiconazole | 24 | Banner MAXX (100-741), Propiconazole (51036-403), Spectator (62719-346-10404), Kestrel (66222-41-81943) | ||
| triadimefon | 12 | Strike (3125-436), Bayleton (432-1360) | |||
| myclobutanil | 24 | Systhane (707-253) | |||
| 12 | 2 | Phenylpyrol | fludioxonil | 12 | Medallion (100-769) |
| 14 | 1 | "Aromatic hydrocarbon" | PCNB | 12 | Revere (400-407-10404), Blocker (5481-211), Terraclor (400-399), Defend (5481-444-1001) |
| M | 1 | Chloronitrile | chlorothalonil | 48 | Daconil (50534-9), Exotherm Termil (70-223) |
| 12 | Echo (60063-7), PathGuard (60063-7-499), Concorde (72167-24-1812), Pegasus (72167-24-1812) | ||||
| Copper, fixed | copper hydroxide | 48 | Kocide (352-656), Champion (55146-1) | ||
| Dithiocarbamate | mancozeb | 24 | Dithane (707-180), FORE (707-87), Pentathlon (1818-251) | ||
| manganexe + zinc | 24 | Protect T/O (1001-65) | |||
| Combined products | 1 | ||||
| 1 + M | thiophanate methyl + mancozeb | Zyban (58185-31) |
Fungicides and Fungicide Resistance Management - Certain fungicides, usually systemic fungicides, are said to be 'at risk' to the development of resistance if they are used repeatedly. See the Risk Level in the above table (1 = low risk; 3 = high risk). The Fungicide Resistance Action Committee has developed a numbering system in which chemicals with the same FRAC Group number have the same mode of action (See http://www.frac.info/frac/index.htm ). It is recommended that chemicals at high risk be used sparingly and in rotation or mixed with chemicals with different modes of actions (different FRAC number).
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Notice: The user of this information assumes all risks for personal injury or property damage.
Warning! Pesticides are poisonous. Read and follow all directions and safety precautions on labels. Handle carefully and store in original labeled containers out of the reach of children, pets, and livestock. Dispose of empty containers right away, in a safe manner and place. Do not contaminate forage, streams or ponds.
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