Pepper growers in the Netherlands are still facing sudden wilting in their crops. Earlier research by Normec Groen Agro Control showed that plants became diseased after infection with a pathogenic strain of Fusarium oxysporum (FORC). In those trials, plants wilted, never recovered, and many died. But in practice, the situation looks different — plants do wilt, but many also bounce back.
Because of this, growers have been skeptical that FORC is the main culprit. They suspect that environmental conditions in the root zone, such as oxygen and moisture levels, may also play a role. In 2024, it was not yet possible to distinguish between pathogenic and non-pathogenic Fusarium, which sparked considerable debate. A breakthrough came when Belgium's ILVO developed a qPCR test specifically for FORC.
In the Netherlands, the Foundation Control in Food and Flowers (SCFF) has now started a monitoring study on behalf of the Dutch pepper growers' cooperative within Glastuinbouw Nederland, reports Joke Vreugdenhil of Glastuinbouw Nederland. At six farms where wilting is occurring, ILVO's qPCR test has not detected FORC at all. Observations point instead to a possible combination of factors in the root zone.
The most likely culprits are poor root quality, high bacterial loads in plants stems, and Fusarium solani infections.
In most cases — though not always — poor roots are seen first, followed by high bacterial counts in the stem. Another striking observation: plants at the far ends of drip lines, where the lowest oxygen levels in irrigation water are measured, are the first to wilt.
The monitoring will continue in the coming months, both at affected farms and within the wider monitoring group.
Research funding
This project is funded by a wide consortium, including breeders Syngenta, Rijk Zwaan, and Enza Zaden, substrate suppliers Grodan and Saint-Gobain Cultilene, and input suppliers Royal Brinkman and Roam Technology. Plantum is also contributing, and the work is supported by a grant from Stichting Hagelunie/Interpolis.
Source: Glastuinbouw Nederland
