Plant Pathology (2018) 67, 735-740

S.C. Marine, A. Baudoin and C.X. Hong (2018)
Effect of initial darkness duration on the pathogenicity of Calonectria pseudonaviculata on boxwood
Plant Pathology 67 (3), 735-740
Abstract: Light is an important environmental stimulus that regulates many physiological activities within plants and pathogenic fungi. Boxwood blight (causal agent: Calonectria pseudonaviculata) is a newly emergent disease in the United States and a significant threat to the boxwood industry. A disease-forecasting model has been developed to aid boxwood growers in their management decisions, but light is not included as a variable within the programme. Growth chamber experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of an initial dark period on disease severity, mycelial growth and conidial germination of C. pseudonaviculata. Treatments varied by darkness duration (0, 6, 12 or 24 h dark), and were followed by a 14 h day length at a 25/21 °C day/night temperature. Neither boxwood blight severity nor fungal colony development was enhanced by an initial dark period. However, darkness duration was associated with a significant increase in conidial germination in vitro. This study suggests the predictive performance of the current boxwood blight disease-forecasting model would not be improved by inclusion of photoperiod.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Chuan-Xue Hong

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
environment - cropping system/rotation

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Calonectria pseudonaviculata	Buxus (crop)