Longevity of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum sclerotia on the soil surface under field conditions

ABSTRACT The longevity of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum sclerotia was quantified in an experiment carried out in the field. Sclerotia naturally formed in soybean plants in an infested commercial field were collected in a grain-cleaning machine and those present in the stem pith, with c.a. 8 mm in length and 1.9 mm in diameter were selected. Fifty sclerotia were kept inside a white nylon mesh (0.25mm) screen bag (25 x 25cm). Eighty bags were laid on the soil surface-simulating no till farming. At monthly intervals, four bags were taken and brought to the laboratory. Sclerotia were washed with tap water and surface desinfested with sodium hypochlorite and exposed to germinate on sterilized moist river sand in a growth chamber at 15oC and 12h photoperiod. After 12 months, sclerotia kept on the soil surface, lost their viability. It may be concluded that under no till, crop rotation with nonsusceptible crops, can reduce the sclerotia bank in the soil.