AI Article Synopsis

  • Laurel wilt, caused by the fungus Raffaelea lauricola, is a serious threat to avocado trees, with varying susceptibility among different cultivars.
  • The study measured several physiological factors (like CO2 assimilation and transpiration) in avocado cultivars after being infected, finding that the highly susceptible 'Russell' cultivar showed significant declines in these rates compared to more resistant varieties such as 'Brogdon' and 'Marcus Pumpkin'.
  • The research suggests that better management of laurel wilt may involve using rootstocks that lower sap flow rates, potentially enhancing the trees' resistance to the disease.

Article Abstract

Laurel wilt, caused by Raffaelea lauricola, is a destructive disease of avocado (Persea americana). The susceptibility of different cultivars and races was examined previously but more information is needed on how this host responds to the disease. In the present study, net CO2 assimilation (A), stomatal conductance of H2O (gs), transpiration (E), water use efficiency (WUE), and xylem sap flow rates were assessed in cultivars that differed in susceptibility. After artificial inoculation with R. lauricola, there was a close relationship between symptom development and reductions in A, gs, E, WUE, and mean daily sap flow in the most susceptible cultivar, 'Russell', and significantly greater disease and lower A, gs, E, WUE, and sap flow rates were usually detected after 15 days compared with the more tolerant 'Brogdon' and 'Marcus Pumpkin'. Significant differences in preinoculation A, gs, E, and WUE were generally not detected among the cultivars but preinoculation sap flow rates were greater in Russell than in Brogdon and Marcus Pumpkin. Preinoculation sap flow rates and symptom severity for individual trees were correlated at the end of an experiment (r=0.46), indicating that a plant's susceptibility to laurel wilt was related to its ability to conduct water. The potential management of this disease with clonal rootstocks that reduce sap flow rates is discussed.

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Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-07-14-0196-RDOI Listing

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