Carpogenic germination and viability studies of sclerotia of sclerotinia sclerotiorum causing lettuce drop

Lettuce is one of the most widely consumed vegetable throughout the world. Amongst various diseases infecting this crop, lettuce drop caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is one of the most prominent and destructive one. Lettuce drop pathogen, S. sclerotiorum produces black, hard survival structures known as sclerotia. In the present studies, carpogenic germination of sclerotia by producing apothecia and releasing ascospores as well as viability of sclerotia was studied.