Soil-borne diseases are among the most difficult problems to manage in greenhouse vegetable production. Unlike a foliar disease, where an affected area can often be identified and treated, soil-borne pathogens can persist in the root zone and continue to damage crops over multiple growing cycles.
Some of the most important soil-borne pathogens include Fusarium, Pythium, Rhizoctonia, and Phytophthora, along with plant-parasitic nematodes such as root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.).
Effective management does not always require aggressive soil fumigation. In many situations, biological products, fungicide drenches, nematode treatments, sanitation, irrigation management, and other cultural practices can be combined into an integrated soil-disease management program.
Why Are Soil-Borne Diseases So Difficult to Control?
Pathogens such as Fusarium, Pythium, and Rhizoctonia can survive in soil, crop residues, and infected roots. When environmental conditions are favorable, they can infect new roots and establish disease rapidly.
Disease pressure is often increased by:
- Excessive irrigation
- Poor drainage
- Prolonged soil saturation
- Infected crop residues
- Root damage
- High planting density
- Repeated production of the same crop
- Contaminated planting material
- Repeated introduction of the same pathogen into the growing area
For this reason, successful management should not rely on a fungicide alone. Irrigation, drainage, sanitation, crop rotation, planting material, and root-zone health are all part of the disease-management strategy.
Cease Biological Fungicide: Protecting the Root Zone
Cease Biological Fungicide is one of the more interesting biological products available through DoMyOwn for greenhouse disease management.
Its active ingredient is Bacillus subtilis strain QST 713.
According to the product information available through DoMyOwn, Cease can be used in greenhouse production and is labeled for management of diseases associated with pathogens including:
- Fusarium
- Pythium
- Rhizoctonia
- Phytophthora
How Does Cease Work?
Cease does not sterilize the soil.
Its approach is biological. The beneficial bacterium is applied to the plant and root-zone environment, where it can establish and help suppress disease-causing microorganisms.
This makes Cease primarily a preventive and suppressive biological tool, rather than a product intended to rescue a root system that has already suffered severe damage.
From an agronomic perspective, this means Cease is particularly useful as part of a preventive program:
Planting → root-zone application → repeat applications according to the label → monitoring and integration with other disease-management practices.
The product information also describes soil-drench applications for greenhouse crops, with timing and repeat applications determined by the product label and growing conditions.
View Cease Biological Fungicide at DoMyOwn
AzaGuard: When Nematodes Are Part of the Problem
When a soil problem involves not only fungal pathogens but also plant-parasitic nematodes, a different management tool is required.
AzaGuard Insecticide/Nematicide is based on azadirachtin.
According to the product information and label available through DoMyOwn, AzaGuard is used for management of several plant-parasitic nematodes, including:
- Root-knot nematodes
- Burrowing nematodes
- Dagger nematodes
- Golden nematodes
This distinction is important:
Cease → biological suppression of several root-zone pathogens
AzaGuard → management of nematodes and certain insect pests
Therefore, when soil testing or root examination indicates both a root-disease problem and a nematode problem, a fungicide alone should not be expected to solve both problems.
Empress Intrinsic Fungicide: Soil Drench Application
Empress Intrinsic Brand Fungicide contains pyraclostrobin 23.3%, a fungicide in FRAC Group 11.
One of its relevant application methods is a soil drench, where the product is applied to the soil or growing medium around the root zone.
According to the information available through DoMyOwn, Empress is used for management of diseases associated with:
- Fusarium
- Pythium
- Phytophthora
- Rhizoctonia
An Important Distinction
Empress is not a soil sterilant.
A soil drench is fundamentally different from soil disinfestation or fumigation. The objective is to protect or treat the plant and its root-zone environment rather than completely eliminate the soil microbial population.
Another important consideration is the crop listed on the current product label. The information available through DoMyOwn includes greenhouse and nursery uses, and the label must be checked carefully before applying the product to food crops.
Always follow the current EPA-approved label and crop-specific directions for the product.
View Empress Intrinsic at DoMyOwn
Banrot: A Combination Fungicide for Root Diseases
Banrot 40 WP is an older combination fungicide used for the management of several soil-borne diseases.
According to the product information available through DoMyOwn, Banrot is labeled for diseases associated with pathogens including:
- Pythium
- Phytophthora
- Rhizoctonia
- Fusarium
- Thielaviopsis
The product is applied as a drench around the root zone.
However, an important limitation should be emphasized: the label information available through DoMyOwn is primarily directed toward ornamental plants and nursery production.
Therefore, Banrot should not automatically be considered an approved treatment for greenhouse tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, or other food crops.
Always check the current product label for the specific crop and use site before application.
Pageant Intrinsic: Another Root-Zone Fungicide Option
Pageant Intrinsic Brand Fungicide is another product available through DoMyOwn for management of certain root and crown diseases.
According to the product information, it can be used as a drench for diseases associated with pathogens including Rhizoctonia and Fusarium. The product information also describes its use in programs targeting Pythium and Phytophthora when combined with a fungicide having activity against those pathogens.
As with Empress and Banrot, the current label and approved crop uses must be checked carefully. The information available through DoMyOwn is largely focused on ornamental and nursery production.
View Pageant Intrinsic at DoMyOwn
Biological vs. Chemical Soil-Disease Management
An important consideration in soil-disease management is not simply which product “kills the pathogen,” but when and how the product is used.
| Approach | Primary objective | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Biological | Suppress pathogens and protect the root zone | Cease |
| Fungicide drench | Protect or treat roots and crowns | Empress, Banrot, Pageant |
| Nematicide | Reduce or suppress plant-parasitic nematodes | AzaGuard |
| Preventive management | Prevent disease establishment | Root-zone protection and sanitation |
| Soil disinfestation | Broad reduction of soil-borne pests and pathogens before planting | A separate management strategy |
The last distinction is particularly important.
Soil Drench Is Not Soil Disinfestation
A soil drench applies a product to the root-zone environment of an established or newly planted crop.
Soil disinfestation is a broader pre-plant strategy intended to substantially reduce populations of pathogens, nematodes, weeds, and other soil pests before the next crop is planted.
These are different management approaches and should not be treated as interchangeable.
Building an Integrated Soil-Disease Management Program
In commercial greenhouse production, the most effective strategy is usually not to depend on a single product.
Instead, consider the problem as an integrated soil-disease management program.
1. Reduce the Source of Inoculum
Remove infected plant material and roots whenever practical.
Clean tools, equipment, containers, and other materials that can move contaminated soil from one area to another.
Weeds can also serve as alternative hosts for some pathogens and should be managed.
2. Manage Irrigation and Drainage
Water management is particularly important for diseases associated with Pythium and Phytophthora.
Consider:
Irrigation frequency → drainage → duration of soil saturation → root-zone aeration
Even an effective fungicide program can perform poorly when roots are continuously exposed to excessive moisture and low oxygen conditions.
3. Establish Biological Protection
Products such as Cease can be incorporated into a preventive program designed to establish beneficial microorganisms around the root zone.
The objective is not to sterilize the soil but to create conditions that make it more difficult for pathogens to establish and cause disease.
4. Use Fungicides Strategically
When chemical fungicides are justified, they should be incorporated into a resistance-management program.
This is particularly important for fungicides belonging to FRAC groups with specific modes of action.
For example, pyraclostrobin-containing products belong to FRAC Group 11, and repeated exposure to the same mode of action can increase selection pressure for resistant pathogen populations.
Follow the product label regarding application intervals, maximum applications, and rotation with fungicides from different FRAC groups.
5. Treat Nematodes as a Separate Problem
If root inspection or soil testing identifies significant populations of root-knot or other plant-parasitic nematodes, they should be managed separately from fungal diseases.
Root galling caused by Meloidogyne can severely impair water and nutrient uptake and may also increase susceptibility to secondary root pathogens.
A fungicide program alone will not solve a significant nematode problem.
What If the Soil Is Already Heavily Infested?
When a greenhouse has a history of severe root disease—for example, repeated crop losses associated with Fusarium and Rhizoctonia—treating the crop after symptoms become severe may be too late.
In such situations, the focus should shift toward pre-plant disease management.
A practical program may include:
Diagnosis → inoculum reduction → sanitation → soil disinfestation when justified → irrigation management → healthy transplants → root-zone protection → monitoring → early intervention
Biological products such as Cease can be valuable components of such a program, but they should not be considered substitutes for true soil disinfestation when the pathogen pressure is extremely high.
Final Takeaway
Managing soil-borne diseases in greenhouse vegetables requires a distinction between soil disinfestation and root-zone disease management.
Among the products available through DoMyOwn:
Cease is particularly interesting as a biological root-zone disease-management tool, with activity against pathogens including Fusarium, Pythium, Rhizoctonia, and Phytophthora.
AzaGuard is relevant when plant-parasitic nematodes are part of the problem.
Empress, Banrot, and Pageant provide additional fungicide options for managing certain root and soil-borne diseases, but their approved crop uses must be carefully checked before application to food crops.
The key principle is simple:
There is rarely a single product that solves a complex soil-disease problem.
Successful greenhouse disease management combines sanitation, irrigation and drainage management, healthy planting material, appropriate pre-plant soil management, biological protection, resistance-management practices, monitoring, and early treatment.
Products Mentioned in This Article
- Cease Biological Fungicide – DoMyOwn
- AzaGuard Insecticide/Nematicide – DoMyOwn
- Empress Intrinsic Brand Fungicide – DoMyOwn
- Banrot WP Fungicide – DoMyOwn
- Pageant Intrinsic Brand Fungicide – DoMyOwn
Important: Product availability, labeling, approved crops, application rates, and legal uses can change. Always read and follow the current product label and applicable EPA requirements before using any pesticide or biological control product.
