Gulf
Coast Research
and Education Center
Plant Pathology
| Diagnostic Clinic | Strawberry Pathology | Ornamental Pathology |
Late Blight Alert
Gary Vallad, GCREC Plant Pathology
Just to give all area tomato growers a reminder. Late blight was confirmed in Manatee and Hillsborough counties in late March. Additional samples continue to arrive in the diagnostic clinic. Late blight is caused by the fungal-like oomycete, Phytophthora infestans. Symptoms on tomato consist of light green, water-soaked lesions that can be circular or irregularly shaped.
Read more in the
April BVT Page 6.
(Photo by
Dr. Pam Roberts, UF Plant Pathologist)
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The Plant Disease Diagnostic Clinic at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center provides plant disease diagnostic services for the local industry. The Plant Disease Diagnostic Clinic is a member of the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, which works closely with Extension county offices affiliated with the University of Florida. Our services include analysis of plant material for fungal, bacterial, and viral pathogens as well as suggesting appropriate control measures when available.
The strawberry and ornamental research program focuses on the biology, etiology, epidemiology, and control of important diseases for the Florida industry. The research on strawberries involves the development and evaluation of predictive models to apply fungicides more effectively for the control of anthracnose diseases, caused by Colletotrichum species, and gray mold, caused by Botrytis cinerea. Commercial and advanced breeding lines are evaluated for disease resistance, and registered and experimental fungicides are tested for the control of anthracnose diseases, gray mold, powdery mildew and angular leaf spot. The research on ornamentals includes projects on screening of caladium tubers for disease resistance and the use of biopesticides for control of powdery mildew of gerberas. In addition, the population biology and host specificity of Colletotrichum acutatum from fruit and ornamental hosts is being determined.