Splash Dispersal ofColletotrichum acutatumandPhytophthora cactorumfrom Strawberry Fruit by Single Drop Impactions

Abstract

Dispersal of Colletotrichum acutatum conidia and Phytophthora cactorum sporangia by single drop impactions onto strawberry fruit was studied using a drop-generating system. Uniform water drops, 0.5-4 mm in diameter, were released from heights of 25-150 cm above infected target fruit with spores labeled with fluorescent tracer. Splash droplets were collected on water-sensitive paper. Size and distance from the source of each droplet trace were determined using an image analysis system, and number of spores contained in randomly chosen traces were counted by means of fluorescent microscopy (...)