|Oudemans, Peter - RUTGERS UNIVERSITY|
Submitted to: National American Phytopathology Meetings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: June 16, 2006
Publication Date: July 29, 2006
Citation: Polashock, J.J., Oudemans, P. 2006. Fairy ring disease increases host genetic diversity in cultivated cranberry. National American Phytopathology Meetings. Technical Abstract: Fairy ring is a common disease affecting cultivated cranberries in New Jersey and Massachusetts. The disease can cause significant vine dieback and yield loss. Fungicide control is not very effective and the causal agent is unknown. Affected areas spread over the bogs for years as an advancing -ring- of symptomatic vines. Similar to fairy ring disease of turf grass, the areas behind the advancing edge tend recover with healthy plants. In cranberry, major cultivars are typically clonal. However, it is common for cranberry bogs to become contaminated with -off-types- that develop over time from seedlings or introduction from other sources. We hypothesized that the vines that fill in areas previously decimated by fairy ring might have altered genetic composition. This could result as open areas caused by the disease are filled in with volunteer seedlings or existing off-types that have lower fruiting capacity and more vigorous vegetative growth. We examined this hypothesis by DNA fingerprinting vines sampled from beds affected by fairy ring. Samples were collected within affected areas and outside affected areas. The results suggest that this disease does in fact impact the genetic diversity of the cranberries in affected beds.