Detection of Latent Fusarium in Gladiolus Corms

SummaryA laboratory test for the detection of latent Fusarium in gladiolus corms has been developed. It involves coating the surface-sterilized corms with a selective medium and incubating at 27 °C for 4 days. On rot-free corms which harbour latent Fusarium typical colonies develop. A correlation between laboratory tests and wilt incidence in the field was only recorded for the cultivare Spie and Span and Molier. In other cultivare Fusarium incidence was higher in laboratory tests than wilt incidence in the field. Fusarium incidence in crushed corms plated in a selective medium was significantly lower than that observed in intact corms. The possible use of this method for detecting Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. gladioli is discussed.