Abstract
A new method is described for the production of inoculum of Armillaria species. An Armillaria mellea isolate was obtained from an infected grapevine plant. Inocula were then obtained by the new method (in which the host-wood rods are incubated in benomyl-dichloran-streptomycin medium) and by three existing methods. Also, the efficacy of the inoculum produced by the new method was assessed by an experimental infection assay using healthy plants of six grapevine rootstocks (196–17 Castel, 110 Richter, 161–49 Couderc, 3309 Couderc, 1103 Paulsen, and 102). The new method produced inoculum within a very short period (15 d, versus 3 mo with the best of the existing methods). All rootstocks were infected by the A. mellea isolate, the most resistant being 161–49 Couderc. This method thus offers a significant reduction in the time necessary for pathogenicity testing or any research requiring Armillaria inoculum.