Abstract
A description is provided for Peronospora anemones. Information is included on the disease caused by the organism, its transmission, geographical distribution, and hosts. HOSTS: Anemone coronaria, A. globosa. DISEASE: Downy mildew of anemones. Infected leaves lose their natural bloom, appearing dull green, almost grey in colour and are often down curled giving the plant a rounded appearance. As the disease progresses, leaf colour may change to shades of pink or purple with necrotic areas appearing on the older leaves. Invasion by secondary organisms (e.g. Botrytis cinerea) is common, especially after frost or storm injury, and this accelerates plant death. In favourable conditions conidiophores develop forming a whitish-grey down on the lower leaf surface, on the bracts and, less frequently, on the petioles. It is not uncommon for affected plants to show little or no sporulation and in these cases the presence of extensive intercellular mycelium and, later in the season, oospores in petioles and peduncles helps diagnosis. GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: Australasia (New Zealand); Europe (England, Jersey, France, Italy, Netherlands). TRANSMISSION: Primary infection is caused by oospores in plant debris in the soil. Tramier (1963) was unable to germinate oospores and thus work out precise details of the conditions affecting their germination but he showed evidence that regular and prolonged rain encouraged germination. Conidia, which cause secondary infections, are dispersed by rain and during harvesting of the flowers. Wind is thought to be unimportant in their dissemination as shown by glass slides covered with vaseline and placed near an infected crop (Tramier, 1965).
Evaluation of onion downy mildew disease risk in New Zealand using meteorological forecasting criteria