Spread of verticillium wilt by nursery plants in olive groves in the Halkidiki area (Greece)1

Abstract

Olive groves have been established during the last decade in the coastal area of Halkidiki and in the northern part of the Kassandra peninsula (GR). Visual symptoms of verticillium wilt were observed recently all over this area, particularly in young trees of cv. Hondrolia Halkidikis but not in the occasional old trees already in the orchards. The symptoms appeared regardless of the previous crop (cotton or not), so the nurseries supplying the farmers with young trees were assumed to be the primary source of infection. A survey of olive nurseries in the area was conducted during 1991. Eleven out of the total 18 nurseries in the area were located in the Verticillium dahliae‐infested zone and 9 of these were sampled. Three‐year‐old olive seedlings were selected and isolations were made from the xylem onto PDA acidified with 0.25% lactic acid. V. dahliae‐infected seedlings were detected in 4 out of the 9 nurseries examined. The presence of infected young trees in nurseries covering 15.6% of the total nursery area provided strong evidence that nurseries may be responsible for the recent expansion of verticillium wilt in the area.