MULTIPLE DISEASE RESISTANCE TO POWDERY MILDEW, BACTERIAL BLIGHT, AND ALTERNARIA BLIGHT IN LILACS (SYRINGA SPP.).    (View PDF)

Margaret T. Mmbaga1, Roger J. Sauvé2, Emmanuel Nnodu3, and Suping Zhou4

Abstract: Fifty-six lilac accessions were evaluated in a 4-year study for resistance to powdery mildew caused by Microsphaera syringae, bacterial blight caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae, and Alternaria blight caused by Alternaria alternata. Accessions included 39 cultivars of Syringa vulgaris, four of S. prestoniae, three of S. hyacinthiflora, two of S. josiflexa, two of S. meyeri, two of S. reticulata, and one each of S. patula, S. chinensis, S. henryi, and S. microphylla. Of these, six accessions were resistant or moderately resistant to Alternaria blight and powdery mildew, four to bacterial blight and Alternaria blight, and 20 to powdery mildew and bacterial blight. Two cultivars of S. meyeri, 'Dwarf Korean' and 'Palibin', were resistant to all three pathogens. During this study, the most serious disease of lilacs in middle Tennessee, U.S., was Alternaria blight. It caused severe leaf scorching and defoliation that began in early July. Powdery mildew and bacterial blight caused mostly superficial damage with little effect on growth.

Keywords: Alternaria alternata; disease complex; Microsphaera syringae; plant health care; Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae; Syringa spp.; variety selection.

https://doi.org/10.48044/jauf.2005.001