What to Do When Flowers Get Bacterial Soft Rot? A Detailed Guide to Prevention and Control Methods

Soft rot: It mainly affects flowers such as gladiolus, cyclamen, calla lily, lily, clivia, cactus, and dahlia. It generally damages the leaves or stems. Usually the affected area first becomes water-soaked, then turns brown, and soon becomes slimy and soft-rotted. Mixed within the soft-rotted tissue is a white, yellow, or grayish-brown mushy, thick liquid, and it gives off a foul odor.

Bacterial soft rot: The pathogen overwinters on host residues or in the soil, and in the following spring, when conditions are suitable, it invades the host tissue and causes damage. Damp weather favors the reproduction and spread of the pathogen. When the host is injured by insects, large wounds are created, which favors bacterial invasion. Applying undecomposed organic fertilizer also makes the disease more severe. Cultivation that injures roots, heavy clay soil, and poor drainage also lead to more serious outbreaks.

The prevention and control methods are:

① When planting in the ground, avoid continuous cropping; for potted plants, pay attention to repotting, and apply thoroughly decomposed fertilizer.

② Control pests in a timely manner to reduce all kinds of wounds.

③ After the disease occurs, promptly spray agricultural streptomycin solution. The focus of spraying is the root-zone soil of the diseased plants and the healthy plants around them. Spray about once every half a month, for 2 to 3 consecutive sprays, and the spread of the disease can be controlled.