Disease Note.

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum on Canola in Georgia and Its Potential as a Pathogen on Peanut. T. B. Brenneman, Department of Plant Pathology, Coastal Plain Station, University of Georgia, Tifton 31793. D. R. Sumner, and D. V. Phillips. Department of Plant Pathology, Coastal Plain Station, University of Georgia, Tifton 31793, and Department of Plant Pathology, Georgia Experiment Station, Griffin 30223. Plant Dis. 75:319. Accepted for publication 18 September 1990. Copyright 1991 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/PD-75-0319A.

Stem rot caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary is a major disease of canola (Brassica napus L.). Over 809 ha of canola as a winter crop have been established in Georgia. Plantings in north Georgia suffered severe stem rot epidemics, with losses approaching 100% on some cultivars. Scattered diseased plants were also found in south Georgia plantings. Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is a host of S. scleroliorum but is more often attacked by S. minor Jagger. To determine if an isolate from canola was pathogenic on peanut, cv. Florunner was inoculated with an isolate of S. scleroliorum from canola in Tift County, Georgia. Plants were kept in a moisture-saturated environment at 18 C, and symptoms of Sclerotinia blight of peanut were evident after 3 days. On excised peanut stems inoculated in moist chambers, the mean length of lesions 3 days after inoculation was 85 mm, compared with 69 mm for stems inoculated similarly with S. minor. In other areas where canola is a summer crop, S. scleroliorum attacks soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.). S. scleroliorum has not been reported in Georgia on peanut or soybean, but the potential of adverse effects from the introduction of a very susceptible winter crop needs to be determined.