Susceptibility to Calonectria ilicicola in Soybean Grown in Greenhouse and Field

Susceptibility of soybean cultivars to Calonectria illicicola was evaluated in a greenhouse by inoculating seedlings with mycelium in agar discs placed on the stems at the soil line. A range of responses was detected among cultivars following inoculation with a virulent isolate of C.ilicicola. Rankings of cultivars between greenhouse tests 1 and 2 were similar for disease severity and areas under the disease progress curves (AUDPC). In addition, rankings of cultivars for Final disease severity were highly correlated with AUDPC in test 1 ($r_s$ =0.88, t =5.48, p<0.001), test 2 ($r_s$ =0.99, t =22.10, p<0.001), and when tests were combined ($r_s$=0.89, t=5.82, p<0. 001). Final disease severity and AUDPC consistently identified Asgrow 7986, Braxton, Cajun, and Forrest as soybean cultivars least susceptible to red crown rot. In 1993 and 1994 field tests, a range in disease susceptibility was observed for tested cultivars but none was completely resistant. Soybean cultivars Braxton, Cajun, and Forrest, which were least susceptible to red crown rot in greenhouse tests, also ranked among cultivars with the lowest disease incidence and AUDPC in field tests. Comparisons .between rankings of the eight cultivars common to greenhouse and field tests showed a correlation between final disease severity from combined greenhouse tests and both final disease incidence ($r_s$=0.63, t =1.99, p<0.1) and AUDPC ($r_s$=0.60, t =1.82, p < 0.2) from the combined field tests. However, AUDPC from greenhouse tests did not correlate with either final disease incidence or AUDPC from field tests. The green-house screening method provided consistent results between greenhouse and field tests and successfully identified the least susceptible cultivars Braxton, Cajun, and Forrest.