Sclerotinia fuckeliana . [Descriptions of Fungi and Bacteria

Abstract

Abstract A description is provided for Sclerotinia fuckeliana . Information is included on the disease caused by the organism, its transmission, geographical distribution, and hosts. HOSTS: Occurs both as a parasite and a saprophyte on a very wide range of host plants. DISEASE: Causes 'grey mould' or 'botrytis disease', a blight or rot of immature, fleshy or senescent tissues. Lesions develop as tan or brown water soaked areas, which may become greyish on drying out. The profuse grey brown sporulation of the fungus on old diseased tissue is characteristic. Rotting of perishable plant produce at harvest or in store causes large losses; can be particularly severe on soft fruit such as strawberries and grapes and vegetables such as cabbage, lettuce etc. Damping-off and basal leaf and stem rot result in severe damage to lettuce and flax. Blights of buds, blossom, leaves and stems may also occur on a wide range of hosts and the fungus has been implicated in dieback and canker formation on woody plants. GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: World wide, but most prevalent as a disease in humid temperate or sub-tropical areas. TRANSMISSION: Conidia are air-borne, but may be carried on the surface of rain splash droplets (41, 436). Diseased plant parts, on which sporulation is profuse in wet weather, are important sources of inoculum in disease epidemics. The fungus overwinters as sclerotia or as mycelium in old plant debris and may be seedborne as spores or mycelium on e.g. flax (37, 720).