Abstract
We investigated the theory that contaminated seeds and materials in a plant nursery facility during seedling rearing can act as infection sources of Pseudocercospora nepheloides. A PCR method using specific primers established to detect the pathogen. PCR tests allowed the detection of the pathogen in the seeds harvested from diseased plant cultivars. The aforementioned diseased seeds as well as seeds artificially infected with P.nepheloides spores were resulting in the emergence of seedlings bearing the typicial disease symptoms. Adherence and potential germination of spores on the nursing materials in the facility was investigated. Results revealed that spores could germinate on some planting materials such as cell trays. Overall results obtained from the present study suggest that contaminated seeds and materials in plant nursery facilities can act as P.nepheloides infection sources.
