Botrytis Gray Mold of Greenhouse and Field Tomatoes

Abstract

Botrytis blight, or gray mold, as it is commonly known, has an exceptionally wide host range with well over 200 reported hosts. The fungus can occur as both a parasite and a saprophyte on the same wide range of hosts. This fungus disease is intriguing in that it can cause a variety of plant diseases including damping-off and blights of flowers, fruits, stems, and foliage of many vegetables and ornamentals. It is a major cause of postharvest rot of perishable plant produce, including tomatoes at harvest and in storage. The disease can occur both in the greenhouse and in the field. Besides tomato, gray mold is of concern to other vegetables including snap and lima beans, cabbage, lettuce and endive, muskmelon, pea, pepper, and potato.