Fibulorhizoctonia psychrophila, causal agent of lenticel spot in pome fruit, rarely detected in Dutch pear and apple orchards

Abstract Fibulorhizoctonia psychrophila causes lenticel spot in stored pome fruit. A Dutch survey revealed that damage can be observed regularly in individual lots at low incidence to occasionally incidences above 25% after storage for five months or longer under specific controlled atmosphere storage conditions. The source of inoculum of the psychrophilic pathogen is not known. A species-specific TaqMan PCR assay was developed to quantify the pathogen DNA in orchard litter considered as potential inoculum source. 2008 samples of various litter types such as dead leaves, fallen fruits and mumm... Mehr ...