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Ecology and Epidemiology

Conditions Influencing Growth and Sporulation of Cercospora asparagi and Cercospora Blight Development in Asparagus. C. J. Cooperman, Former graduate research assistant, Department of Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh 27695-7616; S. F. Jenkins, professor, Department of Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh 27695-7616. Phytopathology 76:617-622. Accepted for publication 6 January 1986. Copyright 1986 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-76-617.

Sporulation of Cercospora asparagi was abundant on V-8 juice agar and carrot decoction agar media when seeded with a spore suspension or when mycelial fragments were placed in molten agar. Sporulation occurred in continuous dark and alternating light / dark treatments. Abundant conidiophores were produced in continuous light, but production of conidia was sparse. The optimal temperature ranges for radial growth and maximum sporulation were 20-28 C and 24-28 C, respectively. Conidial germination occurred between 8 and 36 C with a maximum between 20 and 32 C. Cultures of the fungus could be stored by several methods and remained viable for at least a year at 8 C. Lesions were obtained by inoculating asparagus seedlings with a suspension of 10,000-20,000 spores per milliliter and enclosing the plants in plastic bags to maintain high humidity for at least 96 hr. The optimal temperature for disease development ranged from 25 to 30 C.