2025/09/23 by Joshua Addo, Duoduo Wang · 1 voice
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · #Plant Pathogens and Fungal Diseases #Plant Pathogens and Resistance #Plant-Microbe Interactions and Immunity
paper · doi:10.1080/14620316.2025.2561712
openalex publication_date 2025/09/23 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/14
Phytophthora capsici (P. capsici) is a destructive soilborne pathogen causing foliar blight, crown rot, and fruit rot in Cucurbita spp. leading to significant crop losses. Traditional controls, including fungicides and tolerant cultivars, often fail due to high disease pressure and fungicide-resistant isolates. Because P. capsici persists in soil as long-lived oospores, soil management is crucial for integrated disease control. Recent advances in soil management include cultural practices like bed configuration, crop rotation, and improved drainage, alongside organic amendments such as Brassica biofumigants and composted manure. Biological control agents, soil solarisation, and biosolarisation also show promise in suppressing pathogen viability. However, practical adoption is hindered by site-specific conditions, economic factors, and pathogen adaptability. Future efforts should focus on optimising combined control strategies tailored to local environments and leveraging soil microbiome insights. Emphasising sustainable, multi-layered soil management, supported by genomics and precision agriculture, is essential for reducing disease incidence and enhancing long-term productivity in Cucurbita cropping systems.