The fruit peduncle as an important overwintering site of Monilinia fructicola in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Areas

Abstract

It was shown that Monilinia frtlcticola overwintered in infected peduncles, a site of over wintering apparently not reported previously. Infected peduncles were more important in overwintering than were other types of twig infection. The optimum period for sporulation from peduncles was mid-September to end of October. Sporulation was induced from occasional peduncles as late as the end of January.Conidial infection of peduncles occurred in the orchard under natural conditions.