Sclerotinia Twig Blight on Trees and Cottony Rot on Fruits of Satsuma Mandarin Caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

Sclerotinia twig blight on trees and cottony rot on fruits of Satsuma mandarin were observed in Cheju, Korea in 1996 and 1997. The causal fungus causing citrus twig blight and cottony rot was identified as Sclerotinia sclerotiorum which had cup-shaped apothecia bearing hyaline and clavate asci and periphyses on sclerotium. Symptoms were produced on twigs, developing young leaves, fully developed new leaves, and fruits 2-9 days after wound inoculation, but only on twigs with young lateral buds and developing young leaves by unwound inoculation. The fungus grew well between 10 and $27^{\circ}$, but optimum temperature was $24^{\circ}$ on potato dextrose agar. Most varieties were highly susceptible to S. sclerotiorum, whereas some varieties such as Ichinan were relatively resistant among twelve Satsuma mandarin varieties in the field. This is the first record of Scledrotinia twig blight on trees and cottony rot on stored fruits of Satsuma mandarin in Korea.