Methods for control of soil-borne pathogen Ceratocystis fimbriata on sweet potato: A mini review

Ceratocystis fimbriata is a hazardous fungal pathogen that causes black rot disease in sweet potato roots, leading to devastating losses during sweet potato growth and storage. All methods for managing C. fimbriata on sweet potato based on synthetic fungicides, biocontrol agents, coatings, and natural compounds are reviewed for the first time. The advantages and disadvantages of the different methods are discussed, and their efficacies are compared. Bacillus strains and the synthetic fungicides carbendazim, flutriafol, liguoling, Stadium®, thiabendazole, and thiophanate methyl show the strongest inhibitory effects. Bacillus strains possess an advantage over synthetic fungicides due to the detrimental impact of the latter on human health. The application of filamentous fungi and yeasts as biocontrol agents for C. fimbriata management has not yet been investigated. Coatings exhibit limited protection, and no attempts have been made to combine coatings with nanoparticles or essential oils. Although the natural compounds perillaldehyde and nerol are inexpensive and non-toxic, they are of low efficacy. All management strategies have been used on postharvest sweet potato roots and leaves. However, there is no approach to controlling C. fimbriata in roots during plant growth. Even though several methods for controlling C. fimbriata on sweet potato have been reported in recent years, numerous knowledge gaps impede the development of effective and safe approaches.