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Title: SUSCEPTIBILITY OF SELECTED LILAC (SYRINGA L.) CULTIVARS TO PHYTOPHTHORA RAMORUM, THE SUDDEN OAK DEATH PATHOGEN

Author
item Shishkoff, Nina

Submitted to: Phytopathology
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/16/2005
Publication Date: 3/16/2005
Citation: Shishkoff, N. 2006. Susceptibility of selected lilacs (syringa L.) cultivars to Phytophthora Ramorum, the sudden oak death pathogen. Phytopathology 95:S160.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Lilac has been reported as a host of the “sudden oak death” pathogen, Phytophthora ramorum, in England. It is a very important plant to the nursery industry in the US, so its susceptibility to ramorum blight is of interest. Seven accessions of lilacs (Syringa x prestoniae 'Alexander's Pink’, S. oblata 'Betsy Ross', S. x tribrida 'Lark Song', S. x laciniata, S. meyeri 'Palibin', S. pubescens 'Miss Kim' and S. vulgaris) were inoculated with a sporangial suspension (approx. 4000 sporangia/mL) and incubated in a dew chamber (20 C) for 4-5 days. Plants were rated for defoliation and disease (the number of infected leaves and percent leaf area affected). 'Alexander's pink’ was not very susceptible (only 0.5% infected leaves), and ‘Miss Kim’ was moderately susceptible, while all other lilacs tested developed large black lesions on 20-40% of leaves and suffered some defoliation.