Botryosphaeria dothidea Cane Canker of Thornless Blackberry. J. L. Maas, Plant Pathologist, Fruit Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, MD 20705. F. A. Uecker, Mycologist, Mycology Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, MD 20705. Plant Dis. 68:720-726. Accepted for publication 16 March 1984. This article is in the public domain and not copyrightable. It may be freely reprinted with customary crediting of the source. The American Phytopathological Society, 1984. DOI: 10.1094/PD-68-720.

A new stem (cane) canker of the cultivated thornless blackberry is described. The anamorph of Botryosphaeria dothidea is shown to be the causal agent and the fungus is characterized morphologically to distinguish it from several other fungi that cause similar-appearing cane disease. Disease evaluation of several commercial cultivars indicates that cultivars vary in degree of field resistance to the disease.