| Resumo: | Phytophthora cinnamomi and P. cambivora are soil borne oomycetes that cause Chestnut Ink Disease, a lethal and widespread disease of the European chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.). Soil moisture is a key factor for the onset of Phytophthora root rot epidemics. Zoospores are the main infective propagules that reach the roots by swimming in liquid environments, become encysted and after that infect the host. Considering this biological uniqueness, we studied zoospore release and environmental conditions that promote zoospore production and host infection. Growing nursery media, previously infested with P. cinnamomi, were tested with different host plants (Castanea sativa, Camellia japonica, Ilex aquifolium) and different time-spans of flooding. Data analysis, made by nonparametric Kruskal- Wallis test and followed by multiple comparisons of mean ranks, found that infection of P. cinnamomi is significantly higher (p<0.001) on C. sativa. No significant differences were detected by a nonparametric two-way ANOVA analysis on studied environmental conditions. In natural soils, collected around the canopy of diseased chestnut trees, Phytophthora has a similar pattern of zoospore activity as on growing potting mix used as positive control. Variability between samples from the same tree was associated with physiographic and soil site conditions. This successful, simple and rapid methodology enables Phytophthora ecological surveillance and prompt implementation of sanitary management practices.
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