Southern Blight of Jerusalem Artichoke Caused by Sclerotium rolfsii in California

Plant Disease
S T Koike

Abstract

Jerusalem artichoke or sunchoke (Helianthus tuberosus) is a specialty vegetable that is grown commercially in California. The fleshy tubers are harvested and used as a fresh salad ingredient or cooked vegetable. During 2003, field plantings of Jerusalem artichoke in coastal California (Santa Cruz County) showed symptoms of an unfamiliar disease. Initial symptoms consisted of wilting of new shoots and leaves followed by browning and collapse of all foliage. Crown and lower stem tissues turned tan to brown. In advanced stages of the disease, crown and stem tissues were colonized internally and externally by white, cottony mycelium. Tan, spherical sclerotia that measured approximately 1 mm in diameter formed on the surfaces of the affected crowns and stems. Mycelia and sclerotia also grew on the soil adjacent to infected plants. Isolations from symptomatic crowns, mycelia, and sclerotia produced colonies that were identified as Sclerotium rolfsii. Pathogenicity was tested using two methods that included sclerotial inocula collected from five isolates grown on potato dextrose agar plates. With the first method, sclerotia of each isolate were applied to sets of tubers (10 tubers per isolate) prior to planting tubers into a soilless,...Continue Reading

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