ISHS Acta Horticulturae 346: V International Symposium on Vaccinium Culture
TECHNIQUES IN BREEDING FOR RESISTANCE TO BLUEBERRY STEM BLIGHT CAUSED BY BOTRYOSPHAERIA DOTHIDEA |
| Authors: | W.O. Cline, R.D. Milholland, S.D. Rooks, J.R. Ballington |
| Keywords: | Vaccinium corymbosum, Vaccinium ashei, Botryosphaeria ribis |
| Abstract:
Blueberry stem blight caused by Botryosphaeria dothidea is the primary disease problem limiting the establishment of new highbush blueberry plantings in North Carolina. Studies initiated in the early 1980s led to the development of a program for breeding and screening blueberry genotypes for resistance to B. dothidea. Stem age, isolate virulence, inoculation environment and evaluation timing are critical factors in the accurate determination of resistance. A walk-in inoculation chamber was designed and constructed in 1988 for incubating plants after inoculation. In 1990, modifications to disease screening protocols included 1) the use of fungal isolates less than 1 mo after their original isolation from the host, and 2) the use of ‘Bluechip’ as a suceptible control to establish a Disease Index (DI). Approximately 2,000 plants are screened for stem blight resistance annually. | |
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