The relationship between the release of ascospores of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum,infection and disease in sunflower plots in the United Kingdom

In 1988 and 1989 a plot containing 668 sunflower plants (cv. Sunbred 246) was inoculated with similar amounts of sclerotia of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in February or March and disease development was monitored on each plant during the summer. The concentration of airborne ascospores in the plots was measured and was found to correspond to the number of apothecia. In both years ascospore production started early in June and in 1988 reached a peak in mid-July and lasted until the beginning of August. However, in 1989 ascospore production only lasted for about two weeks and airborne concentrations were small. Ascospores were released predominantly during the day, mostly around 1200 BST. Disease symptoms were not observed until July, between 25 and 40 days after ascospores were first found. Disease incidence increased roughly linearly with time until mid-August when the rate of infection declined. In 1988 the number of plants per week with new symptoms was roughly proportional to the average ascospore concentration measured 5 weeks previously. The observations suggest that severity of disease may be related to ascospore concentration during the infection period.