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Scarification and Environmental Factors that Enhance Carpogenic Germination of Sclerotia of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

Ascospores of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum are the primary source of inoculum for disease epidemics in many economically important crops. Mass production of ascospores under laboratory conditions is required to prepare inoculum for use in selection of genotypes with resistance against Sclerotinia diseases. A study was undertaken, first, to investigate the effect on carpogenic germination of scarifying sclerotia from two S. sclerotiorum isolates taken from canola (Brassica napus) and, second, to identify environmental factors that enhance carpogenic germination. Seven different environmental treatments were applied to scarified and unscarified sclerotia: (i) sterilized distilled water for 4 months at 15°C, (ii) aerated water for 4 months at 4°C, (iii) constant rinsing with tap water for 8 weeks at 4°C, (iv) cold-conditioning for 4 weeks at 4°C and subsequent transfer into moist unsterilized compost at 15°C, (v) incubation in sterilized river sand at 15°C, (vi) air drying for 2 weeks followed by subsequent transfer into sterilized moist river sand at 15°C, or (vii) placed into 0.5% water agar and incubated at 15°C. Carpogenic germination of scarified sclerotia was significantly greater (P < 0.05) than for unscarified sclerotia. There was significant interaction (P < 0.001) between scarification and the different environmental treatments in relation to the carpogenic germination. Carpogenic germination of scarified sclerotia was enhanced by incubation of sclerotia in compost or in sterilized river sand. Further, overall carpogenic germination of both scarified and unscarified sclerotia occurred to the greatest extent when sclerotia of either of the two isolates were subjected to constant rinsing with tap water. We believe this to be the first report of both the enhanced carpogenic germination by scarification in S. sclerotiorum and the environmental factors we report that enhance carpogenic germination of scarified sclerotia. The progression of carpogenic germination in all the environmental treatments was also monitored as a part of this study across the two consecutive years for the same two isolates. The majority of sclerotia of both isolates germinated between the months of June and September in both years, a period which coincides with the main part of the cropping season when Sclerotinia stem rot is normally observed in rainfed canola in Western Australia. These data suggested the existence of a seasonal rhythm-like pattern in relation to the carpogenic germination of this pathogen.