Unravelling the relationships among Verticillium wilt, irrigation, and susceptible and tolerant olive cultivars

Survival, germination, olive colonization, and water-use efficiency (WUE) impairments by Verticillium dahliae could be influenced cultivar susceptibility or irrigation, this modify the irrigation–pathogen–disease relationship. In study, combined effects of irrigation on wilt (VW) development were modelled temporary assessment V. propagules (total inoculum density, density micropropagules, sclerotia in wet air-dried soil; ID, MpD, SwD, SdD, respectively), root (RCI) shoot (SCI) colonization indexes, WUE. The relationship disease severity to measured parameters was then explored. Under controlled conditions, plants cultivars ‘Picual’ ‘Frantoio’ irrigated a high low rate varying drip-irrigation frequencies: daily, twice weekly, combination daily for 11 days weekly. Disease higher ‘Picual’, while WUE ‘Frantoio’. However, weekly treatments significantly increased incidence reduced time-to-symptoms-onset only relative SwD both cultivars. Irrigation did not affect SCI, but RCI found at during symptoms ‘Picual’. By using classification trees examine parameters—disease relationships, it possible determine degree which VW affected and/or susceptibility. MpD best indicator detection any time, before developed, RCI, total SdD after developed.