Factors governing oospore production by Peronospora farinosa f. sp. spinaciae in cotyledons of spinach

Abstract

Oospore production inPeronospora farinosa f. sp.spinaciae was induced in spinach seedlings. This was done in detached cotyledons as wel as in undetached cotyledons on living plants, and in growth chambers as well as in the field. In young leaf tissue the fungus, produced oospores more often than in old tissue. The four spinach cultivars tested, viz. Breedblad Scherpzaad, Symphony, Novires and Huro, did not show significant differences in numbers of cotyledons with oospores, nor in numbers of oospores per cotyledon, though cv. Breedblad Scherpzaad was less susceptible to oospore formation in the field. Comparison of various inoculum densities showed a tendency to a smaller number of cotyledons with oospores with a lower inoculum density. Oospores were abundantly formed, when the plants were exposed to stress conditions in the second half of the latent period.