VIEW ARTICLE

Ecology and Epidemiology

Effect of Cultural Practices on Infection of Florists’ Carnation by Gibberella zeae. R. W. Stack, Department of Plant Pathology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, Present address of senior author: Department of Plant Pathology, ND 58102; R. K. Horst(2), P. E. Nelson(3), and R. W. Langhans(4). (2)Department of Plant Pathology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853; (3)Department of Plant Pathology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802; (4)Department of Floriculture and Ornamental Horticulture, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853. Phytopathology 68:429-433. Accepted for publication 16 September 1977. Copyright © 1978 The American Phytopathological Society, 3340 Pilot Knob Road, St. Paul, MN 55121. All rights reserved.. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-68-429.

Several cultural practices used in greenhouse production of carnations for cut flowers were examined for their effect on the incidence of infection by Gibberella zeae. Cold storage of rooted, but not of unrooted, cuttings prior to planting increased the incidence of infection by G. zeae when the cuttings were inoculated after planting. Shears used to cut flowers were effective inoculating devices. Vegetative stems were less susceptible to infection than reproductive stems. Shorter stubs were more susceptible to infection and infections in shorter stubs were more likely to expand into severe lesions. Fresh stubs were infected at higher rates than older stubs. Manipulation of these cultural practices may reduce incidence of Fusarium stub dieback.