First Report of Sclerotinia Blight of Peanut Caused by Sclerotinia minor in Arkansas

In September, 2013, symptoms similar to Sclerotinia blight caused by Sclerotinia minor were observed on Runner peanut (cv. FloRun 107) in a commercial field near Pocahontas, Arkansas, in Randolph County (2). Blighted plants with wilted leaves were observed in several small (30 × 30 cm) clustered foci located near the end of a 20-ha, furrow-irrigated field. Peanut stems within the lower canopy of symptomatic plants had straw-colored lesions, with white fluffy mycelium and small (<2.0 mm diam.), black, irregularly shaped sclerotia. Stems on plants with severe symptoms were shredded in appearance, with small black sclerotia inside the stem tissue (2). Final disease incidence near harvest in mid-October was less than 1% of the field. Sclerotinia blight symptoms were also observed in 2013 on Runner (cvs. FloRun 107, Georgia 09B, and Florida 07) and Spanish peanut (cvs. OLin and OL06) research plots near Newport, AR, in Jackson County. Disease incidence among cultivars in these research plots was <1% for all cultivars except FloRun 107, which had a disease incidence of 2.6% for a 849.8 m2 plot. Isolations from surface-disinfected leaves on potato dextrose agar (PDA) consistently yielded white, fluffy mycelia with small (0.5 to 2.0 mm diam.), black, irregularly shaped sclerotia typical of S. minor (2). Six-week-old peanut plants (cv. FloRun 107) growing in pots were used to test pathogenicity. Each plant was inoculated by placing an agar plug (5 mm diam.), collected from the edge of an actively growing S. minor culture, on the main peanut stem. Plants (n = 5) were incubated for 8 days in a humidity chamber where temperatures ranged from 24 to 30°C and relative humidity remained >95%. Characteristic symptoms of Sclerotia blight were observed on all inoculated peanut plants whereas none of the plants (n = 3) inoculated with sterile PDA agar plugs expressed symptoms. Pathogenicity tests were repeated on peanut cvs. Flavor Runner 458 and Georgia 09B with similar results. S. minor was consistently isolated from symptomatic tissue on PDA, fulfilling Koch's postulates. To our knowledge, this is the first report of S. minor on peanut or any host in Arkansas or the Mid-South region. The two peanut fields with Sclerotinia blight had a history of soybean production, and S. minor may have gone undetected on soybean or one of many host weed species (1). Since S. minor is a major economic pathogen of peanut, commonly causing yield losses of 10% (2), it will likely be a significant factor in Arkansas and Mid-South peanut production. References: (1) M. S. Melzer et al. Can. J. Plant Pathol. 19:272, 1997. (2) D. M. Porter and H. A. Melouk. Sclerotinia blight. Page 34 in: Compendium of Peanut Diseases, 2nd ed. N. Kokalis-Burelle et al., eds. The American Phytopathological Society, St. Paul, MN, 1997.

First Report of Aerial Blight of Peanut Caused by Rhizoctonia solani AG1-IA in Arkansas

In early September 2012, symptoms similar to aerial blight were observed on runner peanut (cv. Georgia 09B) in a commercial field in Randolph County, Arkansas (3). Leaves within the canopy closest to the soil had water-soaked, gray to green lesions or tan to brown lesions. Localized areas of matted leaves with mycelium occurred on stems and hyphae extended along stems and newly affected leaves. Dark brown spherical sclerotia (1.5 to 4 mm diam.) were produced on the surface of symptomatic peanut tissue (3). Aerial blight symptoms were observed in two peanut fields (~4 to 6 ha) that were furrow irrigated. Symptomatic plants were localized in a single circular pattern (~20 × 25 m) near the lower end of each field with the final disease incidence of less than 5%. Isolations from surface-disinfected leaves on potato dextrose agar consistently yielded light brown to brown colonies with sclerotia typical of Rhizoctonia solani AG1-IA. The fungus was confirmed to be R. solani AG1 by anastomosis reaction (2) with known cultures of AG1-IA isolated from soybean and rice in Arkansas. Sequencing of the rDNA ITS region 5.8s with primers ITS1 and ITS4 (1) supported the identification of the R. solani isolates as AG1-IA. The BLAST search revealed that the sequence had a 96 to 97% maximum sequence identity to several R. solani AG1-IA isolates collected from rice sheaths in China and Arkansas. Eight-week-old peanut plants (cv. Georgia 09B) growing in pots were sprayed until runoff (2 ml/plant) with a solution containing approximately 1 × 105 hyphal fragments/ml. Five inoculated plants were placed in a humidity chamber within a greenhouse where temperatures ranged from 28 to 33°C. After 14 days, water soaked, gray to green or light brown lesions developed on all inoculated plants along with hyphal strands along inoculated sections of the peanut with dark brown sclerotia. None of the plants inoculated with sterile water expressed symptoms. Rhizoctonia solani was consistently reisolated from symptomatic tissue plated on PDA. Inoculations were repeated on peanut cv. Flavor Runner 458, Florida 07, FloRun 107, and Red River Runner with similar results. Although R. solani AG1-IA is a common pathogen on rice and soybean, causing sheath blight and aerial blight, respectively, to our knowledge this is the first report of aerial blight of peanut in the region. Currently, there is a renewed interest in peanut production in the state. Production practices include furrow irrigation, which can distribute floating sclerotia to peanut vines and the rotation practiced with soybean and, less frequently, rice, could potentially increase inoculum for the subsequent crop. Thus, this may be a significant disease problem in the region or Mid-South where peanut is planted after rice or soybean and furrow irrigated. References: (1) S. Kuninaga et al. Curr. Genet. 32:237, 1997. (2) G. C. MacNish et al. Phytopathology 83:922, 1993. (3) H. A. Melouk and P. A. Backman. Management of soilborne fungal pathogens. Pages 75-85 in: Peanut Health Management. H. A. Melouk and F. M. Stokes, eds. The American Phytopathological Society, St. Paul, MN, 1995.

From the President: Productive Engagement

The joys of the vice presidency are embellished by the thrills of conference planning. I worked with some of the most generous and assiduous members of our association, who made the experience truly memorable. My deepest appreciation is extended to Dale Cousins and Ann Burlingame of Wake County Public Libraries; Dave Fergusson, Mary McAfee, Yolanda Bolden, and John Via of Forsyth County Public Library; Irene Laube of Durham Technical Community College Library; John Abbott of Appalachian State University Libraries; Bao-Chu Chang of North Carolina State University Libraries; Connie Keller of Carol Grotnes Belk Library, Elon University; Ednita Bullock, formerly of Bennett College Center of Information Resources and currently of North Carolina A. & T. State University’s F.D. Bluford Library; Philip Cherry of Durham County Library; Jonathan Farlow of Randolph County Public Library; and Caroline Walters, NCLA Administrative Assistant.