First Report of Stem and Leaf Blight Caused by Sclerotinia minor on Geranium carolinianum in North Carolina

Plant Disease
J E Hollowell, B B Shew

Abstract

The soilborne fungus Sclerotinia minor Jagger is a major pathogen of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) in North Carolina and overwinters in soil, on crop debris, or on winter annual weed species (1). Bleached stems and small, black sclerotia are typically seen on peanut plants infected by S. minor. Carolina geranium (Geranium carolinianum L.) is one of several winter annual weed species found during winter fallow in peanut production areas of northeastern North Carolina. During a March 2002 survey of previously harvested peanut fields, plants of Carolina geranium were observed with typical signs and symptoms of infection caused by S. minor. Symptomatic plants with bleached stems and signs of small, black sclerotia were collected in the field and returned to the laboratory. Pathogen isolation and fungal identification were performed from the symptomatic tissues by placing 1- to 2-cm sections of stems on potato dextrose agar after rinsing with tap water and towel drying. Pure cultures of S. minor were obtained and observed to have white, fluffy mycelium and small, black irregular-shaped sclerotia (<2 mm) produced abundantly and scattered over the culture surface. Pathogenicity was tested by inoculating stems of three symptom-free Caro...Continue Reading

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