The initiation of disease by members of Botrytis species depends on a complex sequence of biological events involving host and environment sensing, chemical and physical interactions between the fungal propagules and the host surface and the microbial interactions on the surface of the host. The pathogen's inoculum is central to the understanding of this interaction. This chapter describes the inoculum ecology of Botrytis species on plant surfaces and relates this information to an understanding of disease initiation. Botrytis species deploy several propagules and survival structures. A knowledge of the precise behaviour of these propagules, especially the hydrophobic conidia, when dispersed and deposited on the host at high relative humidity in the presence or absence of water droplets is important for disease initiation and control. The responsiveness of propagules to the environment, and the diversity shown in attack strategies by these pathogens are discussed with examples of the infection pathways used. Special comment is made about suitable inoculation procedures to study grey mould in leaves and fruits.
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Holz, G., Coertze, S., Williamson, B. (2007). The Ecology of Botrytis on Plant Surfaces. In: Elad, Y., Williamson, B., Tudzynski, P., Delen, N. (eds) Botrytis: Biology, Pathology and Control. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-2626-3_2
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