Fungal infection control methods for lucky bamboo
The popularity of ornamental plants imported to the United States from China is accompanied by concerns about the potential to introduce pathogens into the market. Dracaena, a genus consisting of approximately 40 different species, including the widely recognized "lucky bamboo," is among the most frequently imported group of ornamentals to enter the U.S. for domestic sale and eventual export to Canada. The authors of a new research study say it is crucial to be vigilant about potential pests and pathogens on imported cuttings of Dracaena. "Pests and pathogens currently not in the United States could be imported with Dracaena plant materials," said Ariena H.C. van Bruggen, corresponding author of the study published in HortScience. Lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana) with anthracnose symptoms was first found in Florida in 2009; the infection was associated with the fungus Colletotrichum dracaenophilum, a pathogen that originated in Asia.