Seasonal changes in susceptibility of Quercus suber to Botryosphaeria stevensii and Phytophthora cinnamomi

Abstract

Monthly inoculations of both intact plants and excised shoots of Quercus suber with the pathogenic species Botryosphaeria stevensii and Phytophthora cinnamomi were performed to investigate seasonal changes in susceptibility of this forest tree species in relation to environmental parameters and plant water status. Infection symptoms were mainly detected on seedlings inoculated from spring to autumn (April through October) with either pathogen. Mean canker sizes also showed a seasonal pattern, the higher values being recorded in the same period as above. Lesion lengths were significantly (P < 0.001) related to environmental minimum temperature. Mean daily minimum temperatures within the range of 5-12°C clearly inhibited lesion development of P. cinnamomi, whereas B. stevensii showed a less pronounced decrease in canker expansion at the same temperature range. In excised shoots of Q. suber inoculated monthly with B. stevensii, a negative linear relationship was found between the studied range of plant relative water content (81-91%) and canker length. In contrast, the lesions caused by P. cinnamomi were not significantly (P = 0.32) related to any seasonal change in water content. Some control measures for the diseases caused by both pathogens are discussed on the basis of the seasonal changes in host susceptibility observed in this study.