How to recognize and combat vinous rot in carrots

Rhizoctonia violacea is a pathogenic fungus that is characterized by its ability to infect a variety of plants, including carrots, causing the disease known as mal vinosus. This fungus lives in the soil and can survive for long periods in the absence of a host by producing sclerotia, hard and resistant structures. When conditions are favorable, sclerotia germinate, producing hyphae that invade the roots of the plants. Rhizoctonia violacea penetrates the roots through wounds or direct contact, colonizing the internal tissues and causing the decomposition of the cells. As the fungus grows, it forms mycelium on the surface of the roots and produces spores that are dispersed by wind and water, facilitating the infection of new plants. Additionally, the fungus can survive on infected plant remains and in soil, making it a persistent pathogen that is difficult to eradicate.