Variegated Liriope Fungus

Leaf and Crown Rot Fungus

• If the older leaves on variegated lily turf ground cover suddenly fade to yellow from the ground up, suspect Phytophthora palmivora leaf and crown rot fungus. Infected leaves eventually yellow completely and, pull away from the crown without resistance. Leaf and crown rot typically kills the plants within a month. Its microscopic spores move through water in excessively moist soil, attaching to and disfiguring roots with brown or reddish-brown lesions. Prevent infection by planting lily turf in well-draining soil. When conditions favor infection, spray the foliage with a tank-mixed solution of 2 to 4 ounces of fosetyl-al fungicide concentrate per 5 gallons of water. Always wear protective clothing and eyewear and follow the manufacturer's specifications when applying fungicides.

Anthracnose

• Rust-brown patches expanding from the tips of the leaves downward on variegated lily turf leaves signal anthracnose (Colletotrichum spp.) infection. The merging spots destroy significant amounts of leaf tissue. Morning dew provides enough moisture for anthracnose spores to germinate. Preventive measures include mowing the plants back to 3 or 4 inches in late winter and disposing of the diseased foliage. Watering from beneath to keep the leaves dry and spraying the plants with a pre-mixed Bacillus subtilis fungicide at the first sign of infection also reduce the risk. Repeat the fungicide application weekly while wet conditions persist.

Root Rots

• Pythium, Phytophthora and Rhizoctonia root rots all attack variegated lily turf plants. The diseases fade, wilt and yellow foliage, stunt growth and leave white, firm roots dark and mushy. The plants -- with symptoms sometimes restricted to one side -- die from the soil line up as the infection destroys their roots. Most active in warm, wet weather, root-rot fungi target lily turf planted too deeply or those in poorly drained, excessively moist soil. Protect your plants by giving them raised beds if you have poor drainage and cutting back on your watering during rainy periods. Remove and destroy infested plants because fungicides are ineffective against these diseases.

Southern Blight

• Southern blight (Sclerotium rolfsii) survives as cottony fungal mats, or mycelia, on previously infected plant debris. During intermittently rainy weather with temperatures between 80 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit, blight attacks lily turf at or just beneath the soil line, wilting, yellowing and eventually killing the lower leaves. The mycelia also produce tiny, spherical blight-spreading sclerotia. Preventive measures include keeping sclerotia-harboring mulch away from the crowns of the plants and disinfecting tools in a solution of 1 part bleach to 9 parts water after working with blight-infected soil. Remove and bury blight-stricken plants. Preventive fungicides effective against southern blight aren't registered for homeowner use.