Diseases

Damping-off of Cauliflower

Brassica oleracea L. (Cauliflower Group)

A complex of seedling pathologies in cauliflower caused by soil-borne fungi and oomycetes, characterized by the infection of the basal part of the stem.

In the reference 4 varieties crop Cauliflower, where this is mentioned in the description.

The disease in cauliflower is triggered by a complex of pathogens, including Olpidium brassicae, Pythium debaryanum, and Rhizoctonia solani. Infection typically occurs at the stage from seed germination to the 2–3 true leaf phase, manifesting as wateriness, browning, and thinning of the basal stem, which leads to lodging and death of the seedlings.

In more developed plants, Rhizoctonia solani causes darkening and desiccation of the stem, resulting in stunted growth and a weakened root system. Under high humidity, a white, web-like mycelium may appear on the stems. It is important to distinguish this disease from phoma stem canker, caused by Leptosphaeria maculans, which is also referred to as blackleg in English-language literature.

In modern cauliflower breeding, no specific resistance genes for this complex of pathogens have been identified. Resistance is quantitative and polygenic in nature, depending directly on agrotechnical factors such as moisture regime, temperature, soil pH, and lighting conditions during seedling production.

General information about the subject — on the page Blackleg.

Sources8

Varieties of Cauliflower mentioned in the description

Selection based on the description text, not on official evaluation: these data are absent from registers. For specific variety details, please refer to its profile.