Susceptibility of California Almond Cultivars to Aflatoxigenic Aspergillus flavus
Keyword(s):
Colonization and sporulation of aflatoxigenic Aspergillus flavus Link on intact and injured seed was evaluated for a selection of almond [Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A. Webb] cultivars. Barriers to fungal development were identified at the intact seedcoat and at the seed cotyledon tissue. The seedcoat barrier was expressed as a delay in fungal colonization for up to 3 days following the inoculation of intact seed. Seedcoat resistance was uniformly high for all cultivars tested. Cotyledon resistance, which was expressed as a lower rate of disease development was identified only in the cultivars Ne Plus Ultra, Ruby, and Carrion.