Date: Thu, 29 Jun 2000 18:47:46 -0400 From: "Steven Stewart" <steven.stewart@worldnet.att.net> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg1959$foo@default> Subject: Strange disease
Hello Peter, and Sarracenia growers,
Steven Stewart here,
I believe I have seen the fungus you are discussing. At least one of them.
This time of year, in the US. From my experience, with acidic growing
conditions. Soils tend to become loose and airy. If you can press down on
the soil easily, IMHO it should be compacted, carefully. I believe this
condition is cultural in nature, and can easily be avoided by compacting
growing media and abundant watering while plants are in summers rapid
growth. If detected, which can be tricky, because fiberous roots and leaves
are not affected, all rotted parts of the plant should be removed, and the
plant treated with fungicide, the last time I saw this fungus, I had
Benelate, and it worked. Something interesting I found is that the fungus
cannot live in cool 42F. temperatures. When placed in a cooler in a plastic
bag, I have found after a week or so the fungus would no longer be active,
and the plants would heal rapidly. This isn't much help unless your
collection is small or cooler is large. This is effective for me and is
hopefully helpful information. I look forward to reading other ways of
dealing with fungus. Living moss can be fungus inhibiting when used
correctly. I should, (have had it tested) but do not know if anthracnose the
culpret.
Take care,
Steven Stewart
Sanford, Fl USA
>
>Topic No. 13
>
>Date: Wed, 28 Jun 2000 17:28:23 EDT
>From: CALIFCARN@aol.com
>To: cp@opus.labs.agilent.com
>Subject: Re: Strange disease
>Message-ID: <b0.7220be1.268bc7f7@aol.com>
>
>Hey folks, Peter here at California Carnivores.
> Here at our nursery we have gotten several phone calls from people in
the
>southeastern United States describing a weird problem with Sarracenia they
>grow outdoors. All claim that the lower stem of the pitcher, where it
joins
>the rhizome, or the ala near the bottom of the pitcher tube, begins to
turn
>red or brown and rots, causing the pitcher to collapse and wither. Only one
>phone caller noticed webbing inside of the pitcher, which may or may not be
>of the grass-cutting wasp Isodontia. This latter pest usually results in
the
>upper part of the pitcher toppling, due to the nest prepared inside of the
>pitcher, so I do not think this pest is responsible. Also, no one reports
to
>see the reddish debris chimney coming up from the rhizome as would be the
>case for Sarracenia root borer. All these growers report the same symptom:
>rotting of the pitcher's lower stem, causing the pitcher to fall over and
>die. One claimed the "disease" seems to spread into the rhizome. We have
>gotten about eight phone calls in the past two weeks describing the exact
>same phenomenon, from states like Texas and Georgia and Florida. Anyone
have
>any clues?
> Joe Harden asked me (before the conference) to describe the unusual
>fungus that has bothered our Sarracenia. If you can imagine a pitcher made
of
>paper, and someone holding a lit cigarette or lighter to various parts of
the
>leaf and what it would look like (browned and burned), that is the best
>description I can give. The Domaine seems to be controlling it but I'm
having
>to apply it every 10 to 14 days. I still suspect it is some form of
>anthracnose, and as I explained previously, it seems to have started in
>sycamore trees out front of our greenhouse.
> Th-th-th-th-th-that's all folks! Peter
>
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