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Pathogen

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

Overview

Scientific name

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

Genus

Sclerotinia

EPPO code

SCLESC

Common name

White mold

Synonyms

Sclerotinia galeopsidis

Description

This fungal species is easily identified. By day 7 it will have covered the entire plate, unless there is competitive inhibition by another fungus. The center will be mostly flat with little mycelium, and where there is resistance (either a seed or the edge of the plate) you will see white mycelium, somewhat tufted in nature. Scattered around the plate you will see sclerotia[1], sometimes roridous[2], which are very hard and black, less than a centimeter long (usually ~0.5cm) and lumpy, usually rounded. They are irregular in size and texture. The sclerotia will generally start off grey in coloration around day 5, and then turn a black color by day 7. When viewed from the back of the agar, the coloration starts fairly white, but becomes darker grey/brown with age.

Images of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum on Phaseolus vulgaris
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Sclerotinia sclerotiorum on Phaseolus vulgaris

Image credits: Nicole Calliou, CA

Sclerotinia on cranberry bean. showing limited white tufted mycelium and hard black sclerotia


sterilisation: 1% NaOCl 4 min | growth time: 7 days | temperature: 25C -/+2C | lighting: 3:1 (fluorescent:nUV), within 2 ft of light | plate size: 100mm | agar: PDA ( Neogen) |
DNA testing: None

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum on Phaseolus vulgaris
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Sclerotinia sclerotiorum on Phaseolus vulgaris

Image credits: Nicole Calliou, CA

Sclerotinia on cranberry bean. showing limited white tufted mycelium and hard black sclerotia


sterilisation: 1% NaOCl 4 min | growth time: 7 days | temperature: 25C -/+2C | lighting: 3:1 (fluorescent:nUV), within 2 ft of light | plate size: 100mm | agar: PDA ( Neogen) |
DNA testing: None

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum on Cannabis sativa
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Sclerotinia sclerotiorum on Cannabis sativa

Image credits: SASA, GB

Sclerotia overwintering body of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum cut to show white interior