Spread of Phytophthora Root and Crown Rot in Saintpaulia, Gerbera and Spathiphyllum Pot Plants in ebb-and-flow-systems

Spread of Phytophthora root and crown rot in three pot plant species was studied on ebb-and-flow benches where the nutrient solution was recirculated. The plant species and their respective pathogens were: Saintpaulia ionantha – P. nicotianae, Gerbera jamesonii – P. cryptogea, and Spathiphyllum wallissii – Phytophthora spp. Ebb-and-flow benches were infested with the pathogen using different methods: 18–25% of the plants on a bench were inoculated or potted in soil infested with the pathogen or the nutrient solution was infested by either zoospores or mycelium fragments. More than 80% of the inoculated Saintpaulia plants and 22% of plants potted in infested soil developed disease but no spread of the disease was observed. Infestation of the nutrient solution did not result in any diseased Saintpaulia plant. More than 70% of the Gerbera plants developed disease as a result of spread of the pathogen irrespective of the infestation method used. No significant spread of the disease was observed with inoculated Spathiphyllum plants nor from plants potted in infested soil. A few Spathiphyllum plants developed disease symptoms after infestation of the nutrient solution with zoospores. In one experiment, nearly all Spathiphyllum plants were diseased after infestation of the nutrient solution with mycelium fragments. The presence of an irrigation mat significantly reduced the spread of the Phytophthora disease in Gerbera and Spathiphyllum. The possibility of an irrigation mat acting as a filter for zoospores is discussed.