Diseases of winter false flax in conditions of the central zone of the Krasnodar region

During the vegetative period plants of false flax ( Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz.) are susceptible to diseases of the different etiology. At cultivation of false flax in the different regions of the Russian Federation, a complex of diseases affecting this crop can differ substantively. The purpose of the researches, con- ducted in 2013-2014 in conditions of the Krasnodar region, was to reveal diseases of false flax and to identify species composition of disease pathogens. As a result of phytopathological observations of false flax sowings there were revealed the following diseases: Downy Mildew (pathogen Erysiphe communis Grev.), Fusariosis (pathogens Fusarium oxysporum Schlecht., causing plants wilt, Fusarium graminearum Schwabe), sclerotinia, or white rot (pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) De Bary), verticillium wilt (pathogen Verticillium dahliae Klebahn). Prevalence of fusarium wilt and sclerotiniawas low, in average 2.7 и 0.1-0.9%, respectively. Plants infected with fusariosis (pathogen Fusarium graminearum Schwabe) and verticillum wilt were singular in false flax sowings. Prevalence of Downy Mildew was the highest among all diseases; it varies from low (8.1%) in 2013 to high (54.1%) in 2014. The prevalence of Downy Mildew depends directly of the weather conditions in period from April to May,i.e. in period of flowering of winter false flax. Tem- peratures were practically identic in this period in2013 and 2014: average daily air temperature wasºС in 2013 and 17.1 ºС in 2014; however, amount of precipitation was 1.6 times higher in 2014 in comparison to 2013: 51 vs. 32 mm. It promoted maintenance of higher relative humidity of air in a period of the crop flowering in 2014 (in average 64% vs. 55% in 2013), it propitiously influence on intensi- ty of development of downy mildew.