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Disease Incidence and Infection Rates of Cercospora apii in Plant Spacing Plots. R. D. Berger, Associate Professor (Associate Plant Pathologist), University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Agricultural Research and Education Center, Belle Glade 33430; Phytopathology 65:485-487. Accepted for publication 22 November 1974. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-65-485.

Cercospora apii blight spread faster in celery in close-plant-spacing plots than in wide-plant-spacing plots, resulting in twice as much disease in 8 weeks. Infection rates calculated from weekly disease estimates were useful to interpret treatment differences and effects of weather on disease. The lower incidence of disease in wide-spacing plots was assumed to be from modified microclimatological effects, rather than from diminished numbers of spore arrivals due to possible gradient effects. This was because of the readily wind-disseminated nature of the C. apii spores and the relatively small distance between plants.