Melissa Muñoz Agudelo, Ph.D. Candidate at Clemson University is researching the management of Botrytis blight in roses. Roses represent a very important commodity in floriculture. Botrytis cinerea is a fungal pathogen that causes Botrytis blight and threatens rose profitability. Disease management relies often on fungicide applications; however, fungicide resistance development jeopardizes the efficacy and sustainability of this strategy.
Prolonged periods of high humidity and moderate temperatures favor disease development, and these conditions are very often present in the greenhouses. These facts underscore the importance of developing alternative management strategies. Current research focuses on evaluating pre- and post-harvest applications of calcium in roses, considering the role of calcium in enhancing the strength of the plant cell and mediating plant defense responses and secondary metabolites release against Botrytis cinerea.
Source: floriculturealliance.org