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Can Verticillium resting spores survive in irrigation water? #873793

Asked June 19, 2024, 2:04 PM EDT

I'm working on an IPM plan to control Verticillium for field grown Japanese Maples. I've found the most effective control of the pathogen is soil fumigation. We also need to control diseased plant material. Are there any additional practices that I can include in this IPM? What other sources can Verticillium come from? Is it possible that spores can survive in pond water? Our pond is supplied from creek water. Could Verticillium come from the creek upstream?

Clackamas County Oregon

Expert Response

Fumigation is a good short term management plan. Just depends on how long the crop will be on site. They can build back up to damaging levels quickly. The sclerotia can survive decades so surviving in a pond is quite possible. The key will be drawing water off the middle of the pond avoiding bottom sediment that would contain the resting structures or avoiding the very surface where other pathogens, such as Phytophthora spores, might be active. Here is a good write up of the pathogen if you have not already seen it: https://pnwhandbooks.org/plantdisease/pathogen-articles/common/fungi/verticillium-wilt-pacific-northwest
Jay W. Pscheidt, PhD, Professor Replied June 24, 2024, 5:12 PM EDT

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