In 2021, the Proefstation for vegetable cultivation in Belgium received reports of emerging wilt disease in peppers, and at the same time, similar problems surfaced in the Netherlands. The trial station immediately sprang into action to investigate the cause of this problem and to guide affected growers in terms of hygiene measures and water disinfection.
With the support of LAVA, the vegetable cultivation testing station joined forces with colleagues from Proefcentrum Hoogstraten and ILVO to better identify the problem. A sampling campaign yielded several isolates of the fungus Fusarium oxysporum.
At PSKW, the research station is currently carrying out a pathogenicity test together with Kurt Heungens of ILVO to verify whether the Fusarium isolates found are also effectively pathogenic and which isolates are the most aggressive. This is very important for follow-up research: in trials on the efficacy of plant protection products and screening resistant varieties and rootstocks, you need to know which relevant isolate to infect the plants with.
It is always nice when a trial shows clear results; even from the first weeks after inoculations, it was clear that different isolates caused stunting of growth and/or wilting. The trial station now knows that Fusarium oxysporum caused failures in previous years, but they are also keeping an eye on other root diseases that could potentially occur secondary or in combination with Fusarium.
For more information: 
Proefstation voor de Groenteteelt
Duffelsesteenweg 101
2860 Sint-Katelijne-Waver, Belgium
Tel.: +32 (0)15 / 30 00 60
[email protected]
www.proefstation.be