Comparison of sanitation and fungicides for management of Botrytis fruit rot of strawberry

To determine the effects of sanitation on yield and incidence of Botrytis f ruit rot (Botrytis cinerea) in annual strawberry, replicated experiments we re conducted during the 1995-96, 1996-97, and 1998-99 seasons. Leaf sanitat ion (removal of senescent and necrotic leaves) and fruit sanitation (remova l of unmarketable fruit from alleys between beds) were compared to a standa rd fungicide control program (weekly applications of captan plus four bloom applications of iprodione) and combined sanitation and fungicide treatment s. Leaf sanitation reduced Botrytis fruit rot incidence from 12.6 to 8.2% o ver the entire 1996-97 season, and from 17.6 to 11.8% during the latter hal f of the 1998-99 season, compared to untreated controls. However, sanitatio n did not increase marketable yield. Supplementing fungicides with leaf san itation or leaf and fruit sanitation did not improve disease control and fr equently reduced yield. Fruit sanitation had no significant effect on Botry tis incidence or yield. Losses to Botrytis fruit rot in the sanitation trea tments were significantly higher (P less than or equal to 0.05) than in the fungicide treatments each season; marketable yields were significantly low er in 1996-97 and 1998-99. Under Florida conditions, fungicides control Bot rytis fruit more effectively and economically than does sanitation.