Place container plants on gravel or a porous ground cover. Do not put them on plastic film or bare soil. Prune plants and space them well to ensure adequate air circulation and sunlight penetration. Pasteurize or steam treat all soil used for potting plants, whether it is an amendment to a soil-less mix or used as the whole planting medium. In addition, prevent recontamination of the sterile soil with dirt from unclean benches, containers, or attached to tools and equipment.
Monitor plants regularly, and promptly remove affected plants and the soil from the root zone.
Proper fertilization - Avoid excess fertilizer applications, especially quick release nitrogen. This practice stimulates spindly, succulent growth that prolongs the period during which young plants are most vulnerable to root and crown rot diseases. Chemical treatment - Fungicide drenches are frequently used in nurseries for management of root and crown rot diseases in containers. Obtain a laboratory diagnosis to determine the cause of the root rot. Most fungicides registered for use against Rhizoctonia , Fusarium and Cylindrocladium do not control Pythium and Phytophthora .