VIEW ARTICLE

Techniques

Development of a Technique for the Recovery of Soilborne Sclerotia of Botrytis cinerea. A. C. Thomas, Fruit and Fruit Technology Research Institute, P/Bag X5013, Stellenbosch 7600, Republic of South Africa; J. M. Kotzé(2), and F. N. Matthee(3). (2)Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, Republic of South Africa; (3)Department of Plant Pathology, University of the Western Cape, Bellville 7530, Republic of South Africa. Phytopathology 73:1374-1376. Accepted for publication 6 April 1983. Copyright 1983 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-73-1374.

A differential flotation technique developed for the isolation of soilborne sclerotia of Botrytis cinerea is described. The average recovery of laboratory-reared sclerotia from five artificially infested soil samples was 96.7%. Laboratory-reared sclerotia had a higher specific gravity than naturally produced sclerotia. Recovery of sclerotia from vineyard soils during two growing seasons revealed that the sclerotia can survive long enough to serve as a source of inoculum for the following season. Weed control practices (mechanical versus chemical) had no effect on the survival of sclerotia of Botrytis cinerea.