Differences in virulence of Diplocarpon earlianum isolates on selected strawberry cultivars
Eight isolates of Diplocarpon earlianum were evaluated for virulence, measured as the ability to produce percent leaf area with symptoms (LAS), on 18 cultivars of strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa). Significant differences were observed from isolate and cultivar effects, and isolate x cultivar interaction. Four of the eight isolates, on the average of 18 strawberry cultivars, had LAS ranging from 6.7-9.6%, and were classified as a group of low virulence. The remaining four isolates had LAS ranging from 25.9-45.8% and formed a high virulence group. Of the cultivars tested, 'Vibrant' was resistant and 'Micmac' was susceptible to all isolates in both virulence groups; 'Honeoye', 'Redcoat', 'Scotland', 'St. Clair' and 'Vantage' were resistant to the low virulence group, but had differential interactions to isolates in the high virulence group; the remaining 11 cultivars were susceptible to the high virulence group, but had differential interactions to isolates in the low virulence group. It is suggested that a number of different pathogen isolates are required to test strawberry genotypes for leaf scorch resistance. A leaf disk assay was developed in this study and can be used for laboratory evaluations of strawberry genotypes for susceptibility to D. earlianum.