Stem Rot of Strawberry Caused by Sclerotium rolfsii in Korea

Kwon, Jin Hyeuk; Shen, Shun Shan; Park, Chang Seuk

doi:2004.20.2.103

Plant Pathol J > Volume 20(2); 2004 > Article

The Plant Pathology Journal 2004;20(2):103-105.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5423/PPJ.2004.20.2.103 Published online June 30, 2004.

Stem Rot of Strawberry Caused by Sclerotium rolfsii in Korea

Jin Hyeuk Kwon, Shun Shan Shen, Chang Seuk Park

Abstract

A destructive stem rot of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa cv. Akihime) sporadically occurred in farmers` fields in Daegok-myon, Jinju city, Gyeongnam province in Korea. The infected plants showed stem and crown rot, with occasional blighting of the whole plant. White mycelia appeared on stems of infected clones and sclerotia formed on the old lesions near soil surface. The fungus formed white colony on PDA and showed maximum mycelial growth and sclerotial formation at 30˚C. The fungus usually have many narrow hyphal strands, 2.6-10.0 μm in width, in the aerial mycelium. Typical clamp connections were formed on the mycelium. Sclerotia were spherical and 1.0-2.4 mm in size. The fungus was repeatedly isolated from infected tissues and identified as Sclerotium rolfsii. Its pathogenicity was confirmed when inoculated onto strawberry. This is the first report on the stem rot of strawberry caused by S. rolfsii in Korea.

Key Words: Sclerotium rolfsi, stem rot, strawberry