Plant Disease (2008) 92, 1127-1131

M.A. Omer, D.A. Johnson, L.I. Douhan, P.B. Hamm and R.C. Rowe (2008)
Detection, quantification, and vegetative compatibility of Verticillium dahliae in potato and mint production soils in the Columbia Basin of Oregon and Washington
Plant Disease 92 (7), 1127-1131
Abstract: Soil samples from 87 fields intended for potato production in the Columbia Basin of Washington and Oregon and 51 fields intended for mint production in Washington were assayed on a semiselective medium to quantify populations of Verticillium dahliae. The pathogen was isolated from 77 (89%) of the fields intended for potato production and 41 (80%) of the fields intended for mint production. Population densities ranged from 0 to 169 propagules/g of air-dried soil in fields intended for potato production and 0 to 75 propagules/g of air-dried soil in fields intended for mint production. Isolates of V. dahliae were recovered from soil assay plates and pure cultures were prepared to provide a collection of isolates for vegetative compatibility analysis. Among fields intended for potato production from which isolates of the fungus were assigned to a vegetative compatibility group (VCG), 93% of the fields were found to contain one or more isolates assigned to VCG 4A, nine (23%) contained one or more isolates assigned to VCG4B, and only one (3%) contained any isolates assigned to VCG 2B. In the case of fields planned for mint production in 1999 from which isolates of the fungus were assigned to a VCG, 13 fields (81%) were found to contain one or more isolates assigned to VCG 4A, 7 (44%) contained one or more isolates assigned to VCG 4B, and 5 (31%) contained one or more isolates assigned to VCG 2B. VCG 4A isolates of V. dahliae are widespread and numerous, particularly following potato production, but cause only mild to moderate symptoms in mint; therefore, this pathotype is unlikely to seriously endanger subsequent plantings of mint. However, planting potato in a field recently used to produce mint may pose a significant risk to the potato crop if high populations of the VCG4A pathotype (highly aggressive to potato) predominate. Preplant assessment of soil populations of V. dahliae without regard for the relative populations of various pathotypes present in a particular sample may lead to information not fully useful in integrated pest management systems.
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Database assignments for author(s): Philip B. Hamm

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
surveys/sampling/distribution
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Verticillium dahliae		U.S.A. (NW)