Which practice helps reduce inoculum for anthracnose?

Which practice helps reduce inoculum for anthracnose?

• A. Rake up and destroy fallen leaves
• B. Water deeply every day
• C. Apply high-nitrogen fertilizer
• D. Plant in dense shade

Answer: (A)

Anthracnose inoculum is reduced by removing the plant debris that harbors the fungus between seasons. Infected leaves and other litter can serve as the primary source of overwintering spores, so raking up and destroying fallen leaves lowers the amount of inoculum available to start infections in the next growing period. The other practices would tend to encourage disease development: keeping leaves wet from daily deep watering promotes fungal infection, high-nitrogen fertilizer yields lush growth that is more susceptible, and planting in dense shade can increase humidity and reduce air flow, both of which favor the pathogen. Focusing on sanitation by debris removal directly lowers the inoculum load.

Anthracnose inoculum is reduced by removing the plant debris that harbors the fungus between seasons. Infected leaves and other litter can serve as the primary source of overwintering spores, so raking up and destroying fallen leaves lowers the amount of inoculum available to start infections in the next growing period. The other practices would tend to encourage disease development: keeping leaves wet from daily deep watering promotes fungal infection, high-nitrogen fertilizer yields lush growth that is more susceptible, and planting in dense shade can increase humidity and reduce air flow, both of which favor the pathogen. Focusing on sanitation by debris removal directly lowers the inoculum load.