Common Name

Tulip Fire

Scientific Name

Botrytis tulipae

Habitat

Devistating in Europe.

Life Cycle

Infection on a new planted bulb originate from Conidia in bulbs. Mycelium in lesions on outer scales or black sclerotial bodies which live in soil on bulbs. Especially at the base of old flower stalks two years before germinating.

Damage Caused

Distorted leaves and shoots appear after emergence. Usually in scattered plants in bed. Shoots wither and are covered with a botrytis, bearing black bodies which are many small and sunken. Leaf splits with dark green areas developing on neighbouring plants. Elongate dark brown patches bearing black bodies on flower stalks. Flower buds do not open and are covered with mould. Open blooms have small brown and white spots or blisters. Bulbs will have small black bodies on outer scales or remaider of flower stalk. When exposed it may have depressed circular lesions with black bodies. Bulb may rot.

Control methods

Rotate crops, Maintain hygeine. Dip bulbs in fungicide thiophanate-methyl before planting, destroy infected bulbs, replace infected soils. Spray healthy crop with benomyl. Rake in quintozene dust at planting.