Botrytis cinerea Management in Horticultural Crops

Botrytis cinerea, the causative agent of grey mould, is a necrotrophic fungus affecting more than 200 horticultural species worldwide. It compromises yield and quality in fruit, vegetable and ornamental crops through rapid lesion development and postharvest decay. Management relies on integrated approaches that combine cultural practices—such as canopy management, sanitation and optimised irrigation—with chemical fungicides, although widespread resistance to key active ingredients has emerged. Biological controls, including antagonistic microbes and natural compounds, offer sustainable alternatives, while breeding for genetic resistance and gene‐editing methods are at an early stage. Accurate forecasting models based on weather, phenology and pathogen biology inform the timing of protective measures. Innovations in early detection, such as thermal imaging and molecular assays, enable rapid diagnosis before symptom onset, reducing reliance on routine fungicide applications. Postharvest treatments and novel materials, including metallic nanoparticles and salicylic acid formulations, have shown promise in extending shelf life. The global significance of B. cinerea management lies in its economic impact on high‐value horticultural supply chains and in driving the development of integrated, environmentally sensitive disease control strategies.

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Botrytis cinerea Management in Horticultural Crops publication trend

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Technical terms

Conidia: Asexual spores produced by fungi that serve as primary units of dispersal and infection.

Necrotrophic pathogen: An organism that kills host cells and derives nutrients from dead tissue.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM): A strategy combining biological, cultural and chemical control methods to manage pest populations sustainably.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS): Highly reactive molecules generated in plants as part of defence signalling against pathogens.

Thermography: A non‐invasive imaging technique that measures temperature variations to detect early signs of disease.

References

1. Early Detection of Botrytis cinerea Infection in Cut Roses Using Thermal Imaging. Plants (2023).
2. Molecular mechanisms underlying multi-level defense responses of horticultural crops to fungal pathogens. Horticulture Research (2022).
3. Alternative Molecular-Based Diagnostic Methods of Plant Pathogenic Fungi Affecting Berry Crops—A Review. Molecules (2019).
4. A Mechanistic Model of Botrytis cinerea on Grapevines That Includes Weather, Vine Growth Stage, and the Main Infection Pathways. PLOS ONE (2015).
5. Regulation of Botrytis cinerea Infection and Gene Expression in Cut Roses by Using Nano Silver and Salicylic Acid. Plants (2021).
6. Recent Advances in Mechanisms Underlying Defense Responses of Horticultural Crops to Botrytis cinerea. Horticulturae (2023).