Black Plastic Mulch and Spunbonded Polyester Row Cover as Method of Southern Blight Control in Bell Pepper. J. E. Brown, Assistant Professor, Department of Horticulture and Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849. C. Stevens, M. C. Osborn, and H. M. Bryce. Associate Professor, George Washington Carver Agricultural Experiment Station, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL 36088; Laboratory Technician II, and Field Superintendent, Department of Horticulture and Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station, Auburn University. Plant Dis. 73:931-932. Accepted for publication 26 June 1989. Copyright 1989 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/PD-73-0931.

Incidence and severity of southern blight, caused by Sclerotium rolfsii, of bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) were determined on cv. Skipper plants grown with black plastic mulch (BPM), with BPM + spunbonded polyester (SPE) floating row cover, and in bare soil with or without PCNB. Disease incidence and severity were lower and yields were higher in plots with BPM and BPM + SPE than in plots with bare soil and no PCNB treatment. The use of BPM and row cover for the control of southern blight is an alternative to the use of expensive chemicals.