Strategies to manage the disease include the development of resistant varieties, curing through the use of heat and humidity, and application of decay control products.
A study conducted in the New York City retail market found that the majority of culls due to disease were caused by Rhizopus soft rot (approximately 2% decay in survey).
[3] Anecdotal reports suggest that Rhizopus soft rot is unpredictably sporadic and generally results in heavy losses to entire shipments when it does occur.
R. stolonifer has a wide host range and can affect over 300 plant species including fruits, vegetables, and ornamentals.
[5][6] Symptoms of R. stolonifer infection of sweet potatoes include rapid development of a watery soft rot of the internal portion of the storage root with the periderm generally remaining intact.
[8][9][10][11] It has been suggested that smooth wounds (slices or scrapes) lack the quantity of nutrients required for spore germ tube formation.
Effective management strategies for Rhizopus soft rot on sweetpotato include planting resistant varieties in well-drained soil, preventing injury through handling and transport, crop rotation, proper curing after harvest, and decay control product applications on packinglines.
Dicloran, a chlorinated nitro-aniline, is a broad spectrum fungicide registered for postharvest use on sweet potatoes and in-field use for several fruits, vegetables, and ornamentals.