Verticillium wilt of pea (Pisum sativum)

A wilt disease of garden pea (Pisum sativum) caused by Verticillium dahliae is described and the range of pathogenicity of the isolate investigated. It is pathogenic to potato, sweet pea, antirrhinum and broad bean and isolates of V. dahliae from potato, lucerne and sweet pea and V. albo-atrum from lucerne are pathogenic to pea. Since the most common disease symptoms, acropetal progression of chlorosis and necrosis of the leaves followed by premature defoliation are indistinguishable from natural senescence, it is probable that disease and senescence symptoms are confused in the field. The premature defoliation results in marked reduction in green leaf area, leaf dry weight and pod yield.