Infection of faba beans by Sclerotinia trifoliorum

The mode of penetration and the incubation time of Sclerotinia trifoliorum Eriks. were studied in one susceptible (Polycarpe) and one resistant (A-90) cultivar of faba beans (Vicia faba L.), and in one resistant population (A-207) of Vicia narbonensis L., after artificial inoculation in a growth chamber. The fungus penetrated almost all infected plants through the stomata (>96%). In the susceptible cultivar, symptoms of fungus infection appeared 10 h after artificial inoculation, whereas in the resistant cultivar and in the resistant population symptoms appeared after 22 and 16 h, respectively. Key words: Incubation, pathogenesis, penetration, Vicia faba L., Vicia narbonensis L.