Commercial Disease Controls
The Pennsylvania State University
Cooperative Extension

Eggplant

Seed Treatment

 Soak seed in hot water at 122degF (50degC) for 25 minutes. Dry seed then slurry or dust with thiram 75WP at the rate of 2/3 teaspoon per pound of seed (4 ounces per 100 pounds).

Disease Control

Damping-Off
Control is obtained by using the seed treatment previously stated and planting in a sterile mix. Consideration should be given to using soilless mixes containing microorganisms that suppress damping-off fungi.

SoilGard 12G--1-1.5 lb/cu yd of soilless mix.

SoilGard is a naturally occurring soil fungus which is an antagonist to plant pathogenic fungi. Uniformly add SoilGard 12G when soilless mixes are being blended by mechanical devices. After one day of incubation, seed or transplants can be added to the treated mix.

Verticillium Wilt
Best control is obtained by planting in fields that are not heavily contaminated with the fungus that causes the disease. This can best be accomplished by a 4- to 5-year rotation with crops other than tomato, potato, pepper, strawberry, or any of the brambles. The following varieties appear to maintain yield in infested fields: Classic, Epic, Vernal, and Viserba. Soil fumigation will provide some control by delaying symptom expression. Use metam-sodiurn (Vapam HL at 56 to 75 gallons per acre) with a plastic seal. Broadcast treatments are superior to row treatments.

Leaf Spots and Fruit Rots
Begin sprays when disease first appears and repeat every 7 to 10 days. Use the following:

Alternate:
azoxystrobin (Quadris--6.2 - 15.4 oz 2.08F/A or Amistar--2-5 oz 80WDG/A, or
Cabrio--8-12 oz 20EG/A, or
Flint--1.5-2 lb 80WDG/A, or

with

maneb--l.5-2 lb 75DF/A or OLF

Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (TSWV)
TSWV can attack eggplants. The virus is spread by thrips from ornamental plants (flowers) to eggplants. Be sure not to grow any ornamental bedding plants in the same greenhouse as eggplant transplants. Monitor greenhouses for thrips and begin an insecticide control program once observed.

Phytophthora Blight
This disease causes collar rot, fruit rot, and stem cankers. To minimize the occurrence of this disease, rotate away from susceptible crops (cucurbits, peppers, eggplants, and tomatoes)for as many years as possible. For control of collar rot, plant onto raised beds and use the following:

mefenoxam--l pt Ridomil Gold 4E/A or 1 qt Ultra Flourish 2E/A. Apply broadcast prior to planting or in a 12- to 16-inch band over the row before or after transplanting. Make two supplemental post-directed applications at 1 pt/A Ridomil Gold or 1 qt/A Ultra Flourish to 6 to 10 inches of soil on either side of the plants at 30-day intervals. Use formula in the "Calibration for Changing from Broadcast to Band Application" section of Calibrating Granular Application Equipment to determine amount of Ridomil Gold or Ultra Flourish needed per acre when band applications are made.

For suppression of the stem and fruit rot phase of blight, apply on a 7- to 10-day schedule. When environmental conditions are conducive for disease shorten the interval to 5- to 7-days:

Forum--6 oz 4.18SC/A plus
copper, fixed--2 lb 77WP/A or OLF

Note: Where trade names are used, no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by the Cooperative Extension Service is implied.
Information provided is intended for consideration by the user, but is not intended to be a recommendation. Production decisions should be based on consideration of many types of information (scientific, experiential, economic, legal, etc.) available to the user.