Preharvest Detection and Postharvest Incidence of on 'Cripps Pink' Apples in South Africa.

is responsible for significant postharvest losses in 'Cripps Pink' apples in South Africa. The first objective of this study was to determine the presence and incidence of on stored commercial 'Cripps Pink' apple in five major pome fruit growing regions in the Western Cape. As the fungus remains latent until postharvest, the second objective was to develop a rapid molecular detection tool to determine the presence of on asymptomatic 'Cripps Pink' apples from two commercial orchards.

The Effect of Leaf Shredding on Apple Scab in South African Orchards.

The South African apple industry currently relies entirely on chemical fungicides to control apple scab (Venturia inaequalis). In this study, the effectiveness of sanitation strategies in reducing scab incidence and severity in South African orchards was evaluated. Over three seasons, leaf shredding with no fungicide sprays was tested against a nonsprayed, nonshredded negative control, a positive control that followed a commercial fungicide program, and a combined treatment of a commercial fungicide program with leaf shredding.

Two clonal lineages of Phytophthora citrophthora from citrus in South Africa represent a single phylogenetic species.

Phytophthora citrophthora from citrus in eastern Corsica and Spain consists of distinct clonal lineages. In South Africa the extent of genetic variation among citrus-associated P. citrophthora isolates is unknown.