JUST PUBLISHED: Fungicide performance against Botrytis fruit rot

The results of two fungicide trials conducted in 2022 and published in Plant Disease Management Reports in 2023 are presented here. In these trials, 20 unique products were evaluated for performance against Botrytis fruit rot (Fig. 1). After 5 weekly applications (Fig. 1), fruit were evaluated in the field (at-harvest) and postharvest after storage at room temperature for 10 days. Figure 2 shows the results. The full reports can be seen here (Trial 1, Trial 2).

**Figure 1.** Field Research Manager Kyle Blauer making a fungicide application to research plots. Fungicides are evaluated annually in field trials consisting of treatments applied weekly for five weeks. Each treatment is replicated four times in a randomized complete block design.

**Figure 2.** Results from two fungicide evaluation trials against Botrytis fruit rot conducted in 2021. Applications for trial 1 (left) began on 25 March and April 20 for trial 2 (right).
*Click or tap on image to view in larger size.*

Author
Kyle Blauer, Field Research Manager, Cal Poly Strawberry Center kblauer@calpoly.edu

Author

Kyle Blauer

Kyle is the Research Manager at the Strawberry Center, where he focuses on strawberry pathogens, particularly Macrophomina phaseolina (charcoal rot) and Botrytis cinerea (gray mold). His role bridges agronomy and plant pathology, combining hands-on fieldwork with trial coordination.