ABSTRACT
A blueberry field in Bladen County, NC was examined biweekly or monthly for the first 3 yr to determine conditions associated with high plant mortality in young bushes. Plants grew profusely, did not become completely dormant, and 139 of 500 bushes were cold- injured at first frost in November 1992. Cold-injured stems (ca. 10–30 cm in length) developed a characteristic dead, hook-shaped tip which persisted throughout the following growing season. In 1993, the incidence of B. dothidea in stems injured by cold the previous November was 19%, 39%, and 88% for March, May, and June, respectively. Widespread infection by B. dothidea following cold injury could account for past observations of field epidemics 1–2 yr after planting. [Article copies available from The Haworth Document Delivery Service: 1-800-342-9678.]
