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Disease Control and Pest Management

Survival of Some Plant Pathogens During Composting of Hardwood Tree Bark. H. A. J. Hoitink, Associate Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, Wooster 44691; L. J. Herr(2), and A. F. Schmitthenner(3). (2)(3)Associate Professor and Professor, respectively, Department of Plant Pathology, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, Wooster 44691. Phytopathology 66:1369-1372. Accepted for publication 14 May 1976. Copyright © 1976 The American Phytopathological Society, 3340 Pilot Knob Road, St. Paul, MN 55121. All rights reserved.. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-66-1369.

Rhododendron crowns and roots (with residual adhering soil) infected with Phytophthora cinnamomi and Pythium irregulare, sugarbeets infected with Rhizoctonia solani, geranium tissues infected with Botrytis cinerea, and chrysanthemum cuttings infected with Erwinia carotovora var. chrysanthemi were buried in a hardwood bark compost stack, and a “noncompost” stack (without added nitrogen). None of the pathogens could be recovered by direct isolation on selective media or baiting with seedlings from the samples retrieved after incubation in the compost stack (internal temperature 40-60 C for 10-12 weeks). From samples stored in a “noncompost” stack, to which nitrogen had not been added (25 C maximum), P. cinnamomi, P. irregulare, and R. solani could be reisolated.