Relationship of Growth Media and Drying and of Age of Sclerotia to Eruptive Germination and Infection by Sclerotinia minor. C. L. Patterson, Department of Plant Pathology, Wes Watkins Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Oklahoma State University, P.O. Box 128, Lane 74555. R. G. Grogan, Professor Emeritus, Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Davis 95616. Plant Dis. 72:1046-1048. Accepted for publication 25 July 1988. Copyright 1988 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/PD-72-1046.

The relationship of growth media and drying and of age of sclerotia to eruptive germination and infection by Sclerotinia minor was determined. Drying of sclerotia for about 24 hr was required for eruptive germination. Germination was highest when sclerotia were produced on autoclaved potato or carrot. Little or no germination occurred when sclerotia were produced on oats, sorghum, or agar media. Eruptive germination by sclerotia produced on some media increased with age but decreased after 6 mo of storage. There was a very high correlation between eruptive germination by sclerotia of S. minor and infection of lettuce.