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A 7-Day Recording Volumetric Spore Trap. David M. Gadoury, Graduate research assistant, Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, University of New Hampshire, Durham 03824; William E. MacHardy, associate professor, Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, University of New Hampshire, Durham 03824. Phytopathology 73:1526-1531. Accepted for publication 19 May 1983. Copyright 1983 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-73-1526.

A recording volumetric spore trap that can be assembled in ~4 hr at a cost of less than $200 for parts has been designed, constructed, and tested. The trap will operate on AC or DC electrical power and is constructed of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe and sheet. Spores are drawn through a slit-like orifice and are deposited on a clear tape mounted on the cylinder of a chart drive. The trap will sample 15 L of air per minute when a 12-V DC power source is used. Although similar in appearance and operation to the Burkard volumetric spore sampler, the efficiency of the PVC trap in capturing ascospores of Venturia inaequalis and conidia of Monilinia fructicola exceeded that of the Burkard trap in orchard and wind tunnel tests.