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Some epidemiological aspects of post‐bloom fruit drop disease ( Colletotrichum gloeosporioides ) in citrus
Author(s) -
DENHAM T. G.,
WALLER J. M.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
annals of applied biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.677
H-Index - 80
eISSN - 1744-7348
pISSN - 0003-4746
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-7348.1981.tb00423.x
Subject(s) - biology , colletotrichum gloeosporioides , spore , bloom , horticulture , colletotrichum , incidence (geometry) , botany , ecology , physics , optics
SUMMARY Fluctuations in the incidence and amount of post‐bloom fruit drop disease of citrus caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides in Belize prevent economic disease control. During the cooler drier months of the year when blossom infection is common there are variations in the incidence of rainfall and associated climatic parameters, and in the pattern of flowering. Large amounts of disease develop when periods of rain followed by prolonged wetness occur during peak blossoming periods. Blossoms are most susceptible during the open flower stage and infection of terminal flowers invariably results in infection of all other flowers on the spike. Disease incidence is greater in the lower parts of the trees, but flowering is greater in the upper regions. Large numbers of Colletotrichum spores are produced during wet conditions from apparently healthy leaves and from diseased flowers, but these rapidly lose viability when dried. Few spores are produced from old persistent calices (buttons). Although spores from leaves were a less potent inoculum source than those from flowers, they could provide the initial inoculum to commence flower infection when blossoming starts.