Resistance levels of pot anthurium cultivars to Xanthomonas campestris pv.dieffenbachiae

One cut-flower and 14 pot anthurium cultivars were screened for resistance to anthurium blight by spraying four isolates of Xanthomonas campestris pv. dieffenbachiae (McCulloch and Pirone) Dye onto leaf surfaces in replicated experiments. Varying degrees of resistance were observed among the 15 cult ivars tested. The pot cultivars Julia and Gemini were the most resistant, w hile the cut-flower cultivar Hearts Desire was the most susceptible. Each c ultivar displayed different degrees of resistance to individual isolates of the pathogen. The results of this research permit the selection of clones with greater resistance for use in breeding and also create a baseline for comparing resistance of newly developed cultivars.