Viewing post #1227064 by TBGDN

Author
Jackie Mullen
Auburn University, AL

Southern blight, caused by the soilborne fungus Sclerotium rolfsii is a serious disease of a wide variety of plants, including field, vegetable, fruit, ornamental crops and also turf. S. rolfsii usually infects the lower stem near the soil surface. With some plants, the roots may become infected. The disease occurs worldwide, but predominantly in warm climates. In 1928, the USDA reported that S. rolfsii and root knot nematode caused more damage in the southern USA than any other pathogen. In recent years, southern blight has been especially damaging on cotton in Arizona, peanut and tomato in the Southeast, and sugar beet in California. Despite considerable research on this disease, control of southern blight continues to be a problem.

Gabe, the above paragraph was written by the author shown above. It is a world-wide, soil born fungi and can attack several plant groups. Since it is soil born I was shocked to see it in my irises several years ago. And then I saw it in several places throughout the state: All in warm, humid weather. As far as I know it is found in "warm" climates everywhere -unfortunately.