Biological control of crown gall in rose nursery stock

Abstract

Rooted plants and cuttings ofRosa indica were dipped or sprayed withAgrobacterium radiobacter strain 84 and planted in a commercial rose nursery. Crown gall was controlled effectively and equally well when the protectant inoculum was grown in broth or on agar and used for treating plants which were immediately planted in naturally infested soil (mean disease control was 91%). Untreated rooted-plant stock and unrooted cuttings had 20% and 0.7% galled plants, respectively, at the end of 8 months in the field; plants and cuttings dipped inA. radiobacter} inoculum had 0.6% and 0.1% galled plants, respectively. Spraying with inoculum also gave effective control of the disease. Fewer plants of the untreated nursery stock survived the 8 months between planting and harvesting than treated stock.