Overwintering of Coniothyrium minkans, a mycoparasite of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, on the Canadian Prairies

Abstract

A 3-year field study revealed that Coniothyrium minitans survived Canadian prairie winters and resumed mycoparasitic activities on sclerotia of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in the following spring when soil temperatures were above freezing. The study concludes that C. minitans has potential as a biocontrol agent of S. sclerotiorum in western Canada because of its ability to overwinter and become active after the winter.