Peronospora sparsa. [Descriptions of Fungi and Bacteria].
Abstract A description is provided for Peronospora sparsa. Information is included on the disease caused by the organism, its transmission, geographical distribution, and hosts. HOSTS: Cultivated roses and the following species, Rosa californica, R. centifolia, R. canina, R. chinensis, R. rubiginosa. DISEASE: Downy mildew of rose. Bright red to purple or, less frequently, brown spots develop on the leaves which fall very readily especially if the bushes are shaken gently. A non-parasitic defoliation of unknown origin termed a 'false mildew' has been reported from France (Tramier, 1962). The necrotic spots formed on the leaves are similar at a certain stage to those caused by P. sparsa. Conidiophores and conidia develop on the under surface of the downy mildew spots in high relative humidity. In Europe their production is sparse but in California it is reported as copious (Baker, 1953). In heavy infections stems and flowers (both calyx and petals) become diseased and badly infected and young stems often die back. Flowers and flower buds can be retarded and malformed by the pathogen without visible damage to the leaves (53, 3523). GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: Africa (Egypt, Morocco, S. Africa, Zimbabwe); Asia (Brunei, Iran, Israel, Japan, Mauritius, Philippines); Australasia (Australia, New Zealand); Europe (Austria, Britain (incl. Jersey), Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Netherlands, Portugal, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, Yugoslavia, USSR); N. America (Canada, USA); S. America (Argentina, Brazil). TRANSMISSION: As dormant mycelium in cuttings and plants. It is reported that mycelium can overwinter within infected stems both from warmer countries such as Australia (57, 2154) and Brazil (19, 98) and also from Northern Europe (53, 3523). The role of oospores in disease transmission is less certain. They have been found in leaves and stems (Baker, 1953; Fraymouth, 1956) and flowers (Cuboni, 1888) but their occurrence seems to be sporadic and they do not appear to be of great importance in carrying over the pathogen. The possibility that the disease may be seed borne was suggested by a worker in Poland (7, 325). In 1926 downy mildew was discovered in a commercial nursery near Lublin on one-year-old seedlings of Rosa canina. The seedlings had been raised from seed imported from Vienna and the inference was that the disease came with the seed especially as all seedlings of local origin were healthy. Peronospora sparsa is not listed as a seed pathogen by Neergaard (1977).