Southern Blight of Areca Palm (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens) Caused by Sclerotium rolfsii in California

Plant Disease
S T Koike

Abstract

Areca palm (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens) is a popular ornamental palm that can be grown outdoors in mild climates and is commonly used as an indoor ornamental plant. During 2005, commercial palm producers lost significant numbers of areca palm seedlings grown in transplant trays to a crown rot disease. Initial symptoms consisted of a light brown discoloration of stems near the soil line. As disease progressed, the brown discoloration extended up the stem and down into the crown, foliage became gray green, and the entire plant then dried up and died. Extensive, white, cottony mycelium and numerous sclerotia developed externally on the lower stem, crown, attached palm seed, and surrounding peat moss medium. Mycelial growth was so extensive that the fungus often grew from one transplant tray cell, bridged across the plastic cell border, and into an adjacent transplant cell. Tan, spherical sclerotia measured approximately 1 mm in diameter. Isolations from diseased plants resulted in the recovery of the same white fungus that produced sclerotia. On the basis of sclerotia morphology and the presence of clamp connections at hyphal septa, the fungus was identified as Sclerotium rolfsii. Pathogenicity was tested by growing isolates on po...Continue Reading

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