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Ecology and Epidemiology

Natural Inoculation of Apple Buds by Botryosphaeria obtusa. Myra Beisel, Former graduate assistant, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Georgia, Athens 30602; F. F. Hendrix, Jr.(2), and T. E. Starkey(3). (2)(3)Professor, and assistant professor, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Georgia, Athens 30602. Phytopathology 74:335-338. Accepted for publication 7 October 1983. Copyright 1984 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-74-335.

Black rot, caused by Botryosphaeria obtusa, is a major disease of apples in Georgia. Inoculum was found on and in buds as early as October, and reached levels as high as 77% at the silver tip stage. Bud infestation was evenly distributed through the tree, and was less in trees that had been sprayed with fungicides in previous years than in trees which had not been sprayed. There were no differences in bud infestation levels among Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Rome Beauty, and Detroit Red cultivars.