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TECHNICAL SESSION: Epidemic analysis

Network meta-analysis of trials evaluating the susceptibility of Florida strawberry cultivars to Macrophomina phaseolina
Juliana Baggio - Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, University of Florida. Teresa Seijo- Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Vance Whitaker- Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Leandro Cordova- Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Natalia Peres

Macrophomina phaseolina, the causal agent of charcoal rot, is a soilborne pathogen that affects strawberry crowns leading to plant wilt and collapse. Disease management involves a combination of pre-plant fumigation of soil and the use of resistant cultivars. Trials were conducted during nine consecutive seasons (2010-11 to 2018-19) to determine the susceptibility of strawberry cultivars to charcoal rot and the impact of cultivar selection on disease management. Six cultivars grown commercially in Florida were chosen and grouped in “susceptible” [(S) ‘Strawberry Festival’ and ‘Treasure’], “moderately resistant” [(MR) ‘Florida Radiance’ and ‘Florida Beauty’], and “resistant” [(R), Sensation® ‘Florida127’ and ‘Winterstar’]. Following primary analysis of the individual trials, a network meta-analysis was conducted to estimate and compare the final disease incidence and the disease progress rate of each susceptibility group. Final disease incidence means recorded for the S, MR, and R groups were, respectively, 53, 12, and 4%, whereas disease progress rate values were 0.07, 0.05, and 0.02 day-1. The adoption of R and MR instead of S cultivar groups reduced disease incidence by 92 and 78%, respectively, whereas the use of R instead of MR reduced disease incidence by 63%. Significant differences were only observed between disease progress rates of R and S groups. Therefore, cultivar resistance is an effective management strategy to reduce charcoal rot incidence.