Fusarium root rot is caused by a variety of fungal species – and it is a nasty business that can affect beans, peas, and a variety of other vegetables. The peas in this photo were pulled from our gardens here at Tipp Community Gardens – the plants on the left are healthy, those on the right suffered root rot. The symptoms of the disease include poor plant health and general plant decline: i.e., fewer leaves and lower height, less growth, and a small yield. You will see a dark band on the stem at soil level – if you pull up the root, you’ll see no fibrous roots and notice that the root is black and in decline.
The bad news: once a plant has fusarium root rot, it is too late to save. The good news: Root Guardian can be used, as a soil drench at time of planting, to suppress soil pathogens and prevent root rot. It’s a great preventative biological fungicide, and prevents a few of the most common plant blights. Check it out, and tell us your treatment success stories in the comments!
The plants on the left are healthy – the plants on the right suffered fusarium root rot.