The Effect of Iron on Growth and Bacterial Canker Susceptibility of Peach Seedlings1

Abstract

Abstract Peach seedlings [Prunus persica (L) Batsch] were grown in liquid culture with 0,1,4, 7 and 10 Mg/ml Fe++. After 6 months, the plants were inoculated with Pseudomonas syringae van Hall, the causal agent for bacterial canker, or water, and cankers were measured over a 5 month period. Plants not receiving iron were chlorotic and smaller than those grown in 1,4, 7 μg/ml of iron. Ten μg/ml of Fe++ reduced plant weight when compared to the 1 μg/ml rate. Plants receiving no Fe++ developed the longest bacterial cankers. No significant differences in canker length occurred between treatments containing Fe. In the 0 and 1 μg/ml rate, P. syringae was recovered farther from the inoculation site and after a longer time following inoculation than in other rates of Fe++. P. syringae was not recovered from water inoculated seedlings. The possible relationship of these findings to peach tree short-life is discussed.