Fungal diseases affecting eggplant crops (Solanum melongena L.) in El Pato, Berazategui
Keywords:
Eggplant, ungal diseases, Plant pathology, Berazategui, Disease management, HorticultureAbstract
The eggplant (S. melongena) is native to Southeast Asia, and its cultivation is currently widespread worldwide. In Argentina, the primary production areas are Buenos Aires, Salta, Santa Fe, and Jujuy. The crop is affected by numerous pests, among which fungal diseases are particularly prominent. This situation was precisely what was observed in field-grown crops within plots belonging to producer cooperatives in El Pato, Berazategui (Buenos Aires province), during the first half of 2014. These activities were carried out within the framework of a research project by the Chair of Plant Pathology, which aims to characterize sanitary issues related to both biotic and abiotic diseases. This characterization constitutes the preliminary stage for implementing a Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Program for disease management in horticultural and floricultural crops in the aforementioned locality.
In this context, the present article describes three fungal diseases affecting eggplant crops. The pathogens were identified through standard plant pathology routine techniques. Furthermore, the article includes brief considerations regarding the implementation of management measures to mitigate the detected issues.
