Pacific Pests, Pathogens and Weeds - Online edition

Pacific Pests, Pathogens, Weeds & Pesticides

Chinese cabbage stalk rot (101)


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Summary
  • Worldwide distribution. In wet tropics and sub-tropics. On Chinese cabbage, and many other plants, e.g., head cabbage (slimy brown soft rots), capsicum, carrot, celery, cucumber, lettuce (see Fact Sheet no. 289), and potato (see Fact Sheet no. 296). An important bacterial disease.
  • Infection occurs through wounds made by insects, at transplanting or when weeding. Plants collapse, and bacteria enter the soil and are spread by rain splash.
  • Cultural control: avoid soil with history of disease; use 1-year crop rotation, or allow last crop to decompose before replanting; use raised beds to improve drainage; space plants widely allowing wind to dry leaves; mulch to prevent rain splash; weed with care; remove plants with early sign of disease; collect and burn trash after harvest.
  • Chemical control: none recommended.
Common Name

Basal stem rot

Scientific Name

Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum; previously, Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora, and Erwinia aroideae. Other bacteria species may also be present in the soft rots.


AUTHORS Helen Tsatsia & Grahame Jackson
Information from (CABI (2019) Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum (bacterial root rot of sweet potato). (https://www.cabi.org/cpc/datasheet/21913); and from Shaw DE (1984) Microorganisms in Papua New Guinea. Research Bulletin No. 33. Department of Primary Industry, Port Moresby. Photo 3 Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries, DAF Collection, Queensland, Australia.

Produced with support from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research under project PC/2010/090: Strengthening integrated crop management research in the Pacific Islands in support of sustainable intensification of high-value crop production, implemented by the University of Queensland and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.

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