Diseases

Verticillium Wilt of Alfalfa

Medicago sativa L.

A fungal disease of the alfalfa vascular system caused by the pathogens Verticillium alfalfae and V. albo-atrum. It manifests as leaf chlorosis and vascular browning, and is characterized by increased severity in the second and subsequent cuttings.

In the reference 64 varieties crop Alfalfa, where this is mentioned in the description.

The disease is caused by the fungi Verticillium albo-atrum and the alfalfa-specialized pathogen Verticillium alfalfae. The pathogen infects the plant xylem, causing gradual wilting, which is accompanied by the appearance of a chlorotic or marbled pattern on the leaves, loss of turgor, and subsequent leaf drop. A characteristic sign of infection is also the browning of vascular bundles observed in cross-sections of stems or the root crown.

The disease is most pronounced in perennial stands, starting from the second cutting. Resistance of alfalfa to Verticillium wilt is quantitative and polygenic in nature. Since the pathogen persists in the soil for a long time, breeding for resistant varieties involves quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping using molecular markers rather than searching for monogenic markers.

General information about the subject — on the page Verticillium wilt.

Sources8

Varieties of Alfalfa mentioned in the description

Selection based on the description text, not on official evaluation: these data are absent from registers. For specific variety details, please refer to its profile.

Sabilt

Terminated

Active

Medicago sativa L. · Alfalfa

GIE GRASS (FR)

1 record