José R. Viruega, Luis F. Roca, Juan Moral, and Antonio Trapero | View Article
Infection and development of olive scab disease, caused by Fusicladium oleagineum, were evaluated on detached leaves and potted plants of the susceptible cultivar Picual in growth chambers and a shadehouse. An inoculum dose of 1 × 105 conidia per ml was selected from a range of densities tested, and it was used for all experiments. Infection occurred from 5 to 25°C, and disease severity was the greatest at ~20°C for wetness durations of 12 to 24 h and at ~15°C for longer durations. Based on a generalized form of the Analytis Beta model, the optimum temperature and minimum wetness duration for infection were 15.5°C and 11.9 h. Dry periods ≤78 h immediately after inoculation did not reduce disease incidence but did reduce disease severity.