Components for disease management decisions of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in winter oilseed rape

摘要

Stem rot in oilseed rape requires synchronisation of a combination of environmental and host factors for successful germination, sporulation and plant infection by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Monitoring weather variables and specific development stagesin the life cycle during the season can indicate whether conditions are suitable for disease development. The progress of sclerotial germination in relation to flowering and petal testing to quantify inoculum levels in individual crops can be used to support crop protection decisions within the season. These data can be also used retrospectively to interpret how epidemics progressed and improve understanding of the factors contributing to epidemics. In this paper, data from 2006 to 2012 on the progressof sclerotial germination were used to identify critical soil temperature averages for germination in Cambridgeshire and Herefordshire. The use of risk factors and the occurrence of infection periods are used to explain disease development and control inHerefordshire in 2012.