Infection of strawberry flowers by Botrytis cinerea and its relevance to grey mould development

摘要: SUMMARY Newly-opened strawberry flowers of several cultivars were inoculated in the glasshouse, growth chamber and field with conidia Botrytis cinerea from cultures seven isolates. Infection pistils, stamens, petals, sepals receptacles was detected by u.v. microscopy after softening fixed tissues 1 N sodium hydroxide staining 0–1% aniline blue. For all isolates, environments, germinated on stigmas their hyphae grew into transmitting tissue styles, but so slowly that they sometimes took 4–6 wk to reach style bases. Cv. Troubadour only cultivar which carpel, there limited did not progress receptacle. The fungus produced conidiophores 15 23 tested do or glasshouse tests. It readily colonised anthers connective between anther lobes sporulated field; some it base a few stamen filaments In remained ungerminated petals for at least 6 days, moist rapidly penetrated epidermis internal these flower parts. Results indicated stamens may be more important than styles as source latent infection.