The atmospheric conditions affecting sporulation of blue mould in tobacco

Abstract

Conditions favouring sporulation of blue mould (Peronospora tabacina Adam) having been established in the laboratory, a theoretical model has now been used to express the critical parameter, i.e. the relative humidity near the leaf surface where the spores form, in terms of the ambient atmospheric conditions. To test the validity of this model, wind speed, air temperature, and relative humidity mere measured over four growing seasons in three tobacco crops in the Ovens Valley, Victoria, and related to times of sporulation of the mould observed concurrently in these crops. 'Critical relative humidity,' a function of wind speed, air temperature, and heat loss from the crop is shown to be a more serviceable indicator of likelihood of sporulation than either ambient relative humidity or rainfall.