Omphalia root rot of the date palm

Bliss, D

Omphalia root rot of the date palm

Author

Donald E. Bliss

Author Affiliations

Donald E. Bliss was Associate Plant Pathologist in the Experiment Station.

Publication Information

Hilgardia 16(2):15-124. DOI:10.3733/hilg.v16n02p015. March 1944.

PDF of full article, Cite this article

Abstract

Abstract does not appear. First page follows.

Introduction

The importance of omphalia root rot ⁽⁹⁾,4 or decline disease,5 to the date industry lies principally in the fact that affected areas are increasing both in size and in number. About 1 per cent of the total acreage devoted to date culture in the Coachella Valley of California has become affected, and the annual loss in fruit production from this source at the present time may approach 100,000 pounds. With the exception of fruit spoilage, omphalia root rot is the most destructive fungus disease of date palms in California. Because this disease is comparatively new to science and because only a few of the date gardens are affected, the menace which it presents is as yet not fully appreciated. If one may judge by the present condition of certain plantings, however, it could, over a period of many years, become a limiting factor in the date industry.

Since certain date growers are urging control of omphalia root rot through regulation of planting stock, it is desirable to publish at this time a comprehensive report on the investigations of this disease, covering a period of fifteen years. Several preliminary papers ⁽⁴⁾, ⁽⁵⁾, ⁽⁶⁾, ⁽⁷⁾, ⁽⁹⁾, ⁽¹⁰⁾, ⁽¹¹⁾ have appeared, but there are extensive experimental data and numerous illustrations not heretofore published. With special emphasis on these new data, this paper presents a summary of present knowledge concerning the omphalia root rot.

History

From the information now available, it seems that omphalia root rot was unknown before 1921, when one stunted palm was noticed. Little attention was given the matter until other, near-by palms showed a similar tendency. By 1927 there was evidence that palms previously normal in appearance had lost vigor and had become worthless. The trouble was first called to the attention of the University of California Citrus Experiment Station by officials of the United States Date Garden, Indio, California.

Literature Cited

[1] Albert D. W., Hilgeman R. H. Date growing in Arizona. Arizona Agr. Exp. Sta. Bul. 1935. 149:231-86.

[2] Bary A. de. Comparative morphology and biology of the fungi, mycetozoa and bacteria. 1887. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 525p.

[3] Blair R. E., Phillips H. C. Acreage estimates California fruit and nut crops as of 1940. 1941. Sacramento: California Coöp. Crop Reporting Service. 29p.

[4] Bliss Donald E. Symptoms of decline disease. Date Growers’ Inst. Rept. 1933. 10:10

[5] Bliss Donald E. Investigations on the cause of decline disease in date palms. Date Growers’ Inst. Rept. 1934. 11:4-6.

[6] Bliss Donald E. The parasitic action of Omphalia sp. on tissues of the date palm. [Abstract.] Phytopathology. 1934. 24(10):1143

[7] Bliss Donald E. Soil disinfection as a means of combating decline disease in date palms. Date Growers’ Inst. Rept. 1935. 12:13-16.

[8] Bliss Donald E. Rhizosis, a recently discovered disease of date palms. Date Growers’ Inst. Rept. 1936. 13:4-6.

[9] Bliss Donald E. The spread of decline disease in date palms. Date Growers’ Inst. Rept. 1937. 14:4-8.

[10] Bliss Donald E. Two new species of Omphalia which cause decline disease in date palms. Mycologia. 1938. 30(3):313-26. DOI: 10.2307/3754306 [CrossRef]

[11] Bliss Donald E. The decline disease or omphalia root rot of date palms. Date Growers’ Inst. Rept. 1939. 16:7-8.

[12] Bliss Donald E. Relation of Ceratostomella radicicola to Rhizosis of the date palm. Phytopathology. 1941. 31(12):1123-29.

[13] Bliss Donald E., Moore D. C., Bream C. E. Air and soil temperatures in a California date garden. Soil Sci. 1942. 53(1):55-64. DOI: 10.1097/00010694-194201000-00006 [CrossRef]

[14] Bowers H. Dana. Odditrees. Trees. 1938. 1(4):5

[15] California Agricultural Experiment Station. Plant pathology. California Agr. Exp. Sta. Rept. 1930. 1928-29:39-42.

[16] Davey A. E., Leach L. D. Experiments with fungicides for use against Sclerotium rolfsii in soils. Hilgardia. 1941. 13(10):523-47. DOI: 10.3733/hilg.v13n10p523 [CrossRef]

[17] Eaton Frank M. Significance of salt in Coachella Valley agriculture. Date Growers’ Inst. Rept. 1937. 14:11-13.

[18] Ezekiel Walter N., Taubenhaus J. J. Comparing soil fungicide with special reference to Phymatotrichum omnivorum root rot. [Abstract.] Phytopathology. 1934. 24(1):8

[19] Ezekiel Walter N., Taubenhaus J. J. Field trials of pentachlorethane, tetrachlorethane, and xylol as affecting Phymatotrichum root rot and host plants. [Abstract.] Phytopathology. 1935. 25(1):16

[20] Fawcett H. S. Citrus diseases and their control. 1936. 2d ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc. 656p.

[21] Fawcett H. S., Klotz L. J. Diseases of the date palm, Phoenix dactylifera. California Agr. Exp. Sta. Bul. 1932. 522:1-47. http://archive.org/details/diseasesofdatepa522fawc

[22] Godfrey G. H. The confinement of chloropicrin and other gases for fumigation purposes. Phytopathology. 1934. 24(12):1366-73.

[23] Godfrey G. H. Experiments on the control of the root-knot nematode in the field with chloropicrin and other chemicals. Phytopathology. 1935. 25(1):67-90.

[24] Godfrey G. H. Control of soil fungi by soil fumigation with chloropicrin. Phytopathology. 1936. 26(3):246-56.

[25] Godfrey G. H., Oliveira Juliette, Hoshino Helene M. Increased efficiency of chloropicrin for nematode control with better confinement of the gas. Phytopathology. 1934. 24(12):1332-46.

[26] Haas A. R. C. Mineral nutrition of the date palm. Date Growers’ Inst. Rept. 1930. 7:19-21.

[27] Haas A. R. C. The pH of soils at low moisture content. Soil Sci. 1941. 51(1):17-39. DOI: 10.1097/00010694-194101000-00002 [CrossRef]

[28] Haas A. R. C., Compton O. C. The pH of irrigated orchard soils. Soil Sci. 1941. 52(4):309-33. DOI: 10.1097/00010694-194110000-00007 [CrossRef]

[29] Haas A. R. C., Klotz L. J. Nutrition and composition of the Deglet Noor palm in relation to the decline disease. Hilgardia. 1931. 5(16):511-30. DOI: 10.3733/hilg.v05n16p511 [CrossRef]

[30] Hissink D. J. Report of the committee on soil reaction measurements. I. Results of comparative investigations on the quinhydrone electrode method. Soil Res. 1930. 2(1):77-139.

[31] Kearney Thomas H. Date varieties and date culture in Tunis. U. S. Bur. Plant Indus. Bul. 1906. 92:1-112.

[32] King C. J. A method for the control of cotton root rot in the irrigated Southwest. U. S. Dept. Agr. Cir. 1937. 425:1-10.

[33] King C. J., Hope Claude. Distribution of the cotton root-rot fungus in soil and in plant tissues in relation to control by disinfectants. Jour. Agr. Res. 1932. 45(12):725-40.

[34] King C. J., Hope Claude, Eaton E. D. Some microbiological activities affected in manurial control of cotton root rot. Jour. Agr. Res. 1934. 49(12):1093-1107.

[35] King C. J., Loomis H. F., Hope Claude. Studies on sclerotia and mycelial strands of the cotton root-rot fungus. Jour. Agr. Res. 1931. 42(12):827-40.

[36] Klotz L. J. Diseases of the date palm. Date Growers’ Inst. Rept. 1930. 7:7-10.

[37] Kocher A. E., Harper W. G. Soil survey of the Coachella Valley area, California. U. S. Dept. Agr. Field Operations Bur. Soils. 1927. 1923:485-535.

[38] Leach L. D., Davey A. E. Reducing southern sclerotium rot of sugar beets with nitrogenous fertilizers. Jour. Agr. Res. 1942. 64(1):1-18.

[39] Mason Silas C. The minimum temperature for growth of the date palm and the absence of a resting period. Jour. Agr. Res. 1925. 31(5):401-14.

[40] Mason Silas C. Partial thermostasy of the growth center of the date palm. Jour. Agr. Res. 1925. 31(5):415-53.

[41] Mason Silas C. The inhibitive effect of direct sunlight on the growth of the date palm. Jour. Agr. Res. 1925. 31(5):455-68.

[42] Milbrath D. G. Bureau of Plant Pathology [Rept.]. California State Dept. Agr. Bul. 1939. 28(10):567-77.

[43] Milne D. The date palm and its cultivation in the Punjab. 1918. Calcutta: Published for the Punjab Government by Thacker, Spink and Co. 153p.

[44] Neal David C., Wester R. E., Gunn Kenneth C. Growth of the cotton root-rot fungus in synthetic media, and the toxic effect of ammonia on the fungus. Jour. Agr. Res. 1933. 47(2):107-18.

[45] Oserkowsky J. Fungicidal effect on Sclerotium rolfsii of some compounds in aqueous solution and in the gaseous state. Phytopathology. 1934. 24(7):815-19.

[46] Ridgway R. Color standards and color nomenclature. 1912. Md.: Baltimore. 43p. 1933. 53 colored plates. Published by the author, Washington, D. C. Reprinted by A. Hoen and Co.

[47] Simmons Linton T. Rooting habits of the date palm. Date Growers’ Inst. Rept. 1926. 3:1-2.

[48] Streets R. B. The treatment of deciduous fruit trees and nut trees infected by Phymatotrichum omnivorum with ammonium compounds. Science, n.s. 1934. 79:417-18. DOI: 10.1126/science.79.2053.417 [CrossRef]

[49] Streets R. B. Phymatotrichum (cotton or Texas) root rot in Arizona. Arizona Agr. Exp. Sta. Tech. Bul. 1937. 71:293-410.

[50] Swingle Walter T. The date palm and its utilization in the southwestern states. U. S. Bur. Plant Indus. Bul. 1904. 53:1-155.

[51] Thomas Harold E., Lawyer Lewis O. The use of carbon bisulphide in the control of Armillaria root rot. [Abstract.] Phytopathology. 1939. 29(9):827-28.

[52] Weindling R. Studies on a lethal principle effective in the parasitic action of Trichoderma lignorum on Rhizoctonia solani and other soil fungi. Phytopathology. 1934. 24(11):1153-79.

Also in this issue:

Concentrate spraying possibilities: Shown in California orchard tests

Farm cooperators in research

Metal ammonium phosphates

Cotton breeding progress continues

Effect of fertilizer, row spacing and clipping on alfalfa seed

Gamma radiation device: Aids study of water movement in soil

Kapareil: —A new small-kernel almond variety for confections

Black light traps: —Help determine flights of codling moths and other deciduous fruit pests

Early mulched strawberries: Early mulching of winter-planted strawberries with clear polyethylene gives gross yield increases

Quality of percolating waters