A survey was conducted over a 3-year period to determine the frequencies and distributions of fruit-rotting fungi in New Jersey cranberry beds. In the first 2 years of the study, Physalospora vaccinii and Glomerella cingulata were the most prevalent and widespread field-rotting fungi. In the third year, the frequency of G. cingulata declined markedly. Other species such as Coleophoma empetri, Phyllosticta vaccinii, and Phomopsis vaccinii were isolated at high frequencies from a limited number of locations. Storage-rotting fungi including Allantophomopsis cytisporea and A. lycopodina were isolated at low frequencies, but were widely distributed within the growing region. On sound fruit, a somewhat different profile emerged. Fungi such as Phyllosticta elongata, Alternaria spp., and Physalospora vaccinii were commonly isolated. In comparisons among different cranberry cultivars, no differences in the fungal profiles were seen. This was interpreted to indicate that if differences in fruit-rot resistance exist, they are likely to be general forms of resistance rather than fungal species-specific mechanisms.

Isolates of Curvularia lunata, C. geniculata, Bipolaris hawaiiensis, and B. cynodontis were tested for pathogenicity on the hybrid bermudagrass cultivars Tifdwarf, TifEagle, and FloraDwarf at 20 and 30°C. Curvularia lunata, C. geniculata, and B. hawaiiensis produced some minor leaf tip necrosis at the cut ends of leaves 24 to 48 h after inoculation. Bipolaris cynodontis produced significant tip dieback and leaf spotting on all three cultivars at both 20 and 30°C, and disease severity was higher at 20°C than at 30°C. With C. lunata, C. geniculata, and B. hawaiiensis, occasional leaf-spotting occurred only on senescing, older leaves. Bipolaris cynodontis is considered pathogenic on bermudagrasses, while C. lunata, C. geniculata, and B. hawaiiensis are considered senectopathic, able to incite disease only in senescing plant tissue. Curvularia lunata and B. hawaiiensis resulted in higher disease severity at 30°C than at 20°C, indicating that these species are senectopathic at higher temperatures. Accepted for publication 29 September 2006. Published 19 January 2007.

Vanda orchids are epiphytes grown for their attractive flowers by commercial producers and hobbyists throughout Florida. In August 2007, five Vanda hybrids, with an economic value of $150 each, were found at a nursery in central Florida with leaves that were macerated, brown, and water soaked. According to the growers, the plants were normal the previous day but symptoms developed rapidly. The plants were immediately removed from the greenhouse to prevent potential disease spread. Bacteria were isolated according to the method of Schaad et al. (1). Isolated bacteria grew at 37°C, were gram negative, degraded pectate, and produced phosphatase. MIDI (Sherlock version TSBA 4.10; Microbial Identification 16 System, Newark, DE) (SIM 0.906) identified the bacteria as Erwinia chrysanthemi (Dickeya chrysanthemi Burkholder et al. 1953) Samson et al. 2005. PCR was performed on the 16S rRNA gene (GenBank Accession No. EU526397) with primers 27f (5′-GAGAGTTTGATCCTG GCTCAG-3′) and 1495r (5′-TACGGCTACCTTGTTACGA-3′) (2). Subsequent DNA sequencing and GenBank search showed the isolated strain is 99% identical to that of Dickeya chrysanthemi. Four leaves each of six Vanda hybrids were inoculated by injecting approximately 150 μl of a bacteria suspension at 1 × 108 CFU/ml into each leaf. One plant was inoculated with water in each of four leaves. Plants were enclosed in plastic bags and returned to the greenhouse under 50% shade at 29°C day and 17°C night temperatures. Within 24 h, soft rot symptoms appeared on inoculated leaves. The water control appeared normal. D. chrysanthemi was reisolated and identified with the above method, thus Koch's postulates were fulfilled. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a soft rot caused by D. chrysanthemi on Vanda hybrids. Because of the popularity and high value of Vanda orchids, proper identification of this rapidly progressing bacterial disease is of great importance for the commercial producer and homeowner alike. References: (1) N. W. Schaad et al. Erwinia soft rot group. Page 56 in: Laboratory Guide for Identification of Plant Pathogenic Bacteria. 3rd ed. N. W. Schaad et al., eds. American Phytopathological Society. St. Paul, MN, 2001. (2) W. G. Weisburg. J. Bacteriol. 173:697, 1991.

Several species of Phytophthora have been reported to cause economic damage on orchids worldwide. Of these, P. cactorum and P. palmivora have the widest host range across orchid genera, and they are the most common species affecting commercial orchid production in Florida. The objective of this guide is to provide a practical diagnostic resource for black rot on orchids in Florida. Accepted for publication 27 April 2010. Published 14 June 2010.

A simple inoculation technique, which uses small plastic boxes as field inoculation chambers, was developed to enhance disease development in turfgrass inoculated with Pythium aphanidermatum. When temperatures were favorable and relative humidity was high under the plastic boxes, disease severity attained 70 to 90% in untreated controls. This technique was used to screen several fungicides for efficacy in controlling Pythium blight over four years. Preventative treatments of azoxystrobin, mefenoxam, and fosetyl-Al were highly effective in controlling Pythium blight even under very high disease pressure. Curatively, mefenoxam and azoxystrobin also controlled Pythium blight, if applied as soon as symptoms (≤ 5% disease severity) were detected. Accepted for publication 12 March 2005. Published 30 March 2005.