Sclerotinia sclerotiorum has reportedly been found on watercress (Nasturtium officinale) in an aquaponic system in Hungary. This is the first reported case of white mold on watercress in aquaponic system in Hungary.
Watercress (Nasturtium officinale) is an aquatic dicotyledonous vegetable belonging to Brassicaceae (Aiton 1812). Watercress was grown in an aquaponic system on fired clay ball medium at the Aquaponic Research Station of the University of Debrecen, in the city of Debrecen (Hungary).
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During January 2020, 3-month-old plants showed symptoms in aquaponic cultivation. A visual survey showed 30% of plants with symptoms. Leaves and stems withered and showed white cotton-like mycelium. Mycelia from infected plants were placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA) and incubated at 25°C for seven days.
Single hyphal tips were transferred to produce a pure culture. All ten fungal isolates showed similar morphological characteristics on PDA.
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