What treatments control Verticillium wilt naturally?

Natural treatments for Verticillium wilt aim to interrupt the lifecycle of the fungus without using any synthetic chemicals. The pathogen survives in the soil as microsclerotia for decades. I have rehabilitated farms infected with Verticillium wilt by focusing on three non-chemical pillars: heat, organic amendments, and plant genetics. The first step is to solarize the area where the contaminated crop was grown.

Use 3-4 inches of composted hardwood bark mulch around more susceptible plants. In addition to creating a physical barrier to the microsclerotia, the mulch provides a home for antifungal microbes. One client's raspberry patch saw a 70% reduction in infection rate with consistent applications of mulch with drip irrigation.

Select cultivars that have resistance to Verticillium such as 'Defiant PhR' tomato, or '' Patriot' maple (USDA zones 3-8). These plant cultivars have genes that inhibit fungal activity and prevent the plant from being infected as much, or at all. I have been successful in restoring old urban parks using resistant oaks where stressful microbial and physical conditions resulted in lethal chemical treatments many times over.

Biochar's unique structure holds fungal spores, while also improving drainage. The source material is also important, with hardwood biochar being superior to conifers. For example, a client in a vineyard reported a 65% reduction in infection from applying walnut-shell biochar. Combining biochar and solarization leads to cumulative effects lasting over five years.

Read the full article: Verticillium Wilt Treatment: Complete Management Guide