VIEW ARTICLE

The Field Induction of Bacterial Pink Disease in Pineapple Fruit. K. G. Rohrbach, Associate Plant Pathologist, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu 96786; J. B. Pfeiffer, Research Associate, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu 96786. Phytopathology 65:803-805. Accepted for publication 26 February 1975. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-65-803.

Pink-disease bacteria were applied to a hybrid pineapple cultivar at various stages of inflorescence development. Significant levels of pink disease occurred only when bacteria were applied to open flowers. Inoculum levels of at least 1 × 10⁸ cells per ml were required to induce consistently high levels of disease. Disease levels in two hybrid cultivars varied with the time of the year tested, and were much higher than observed in the standard Smooth Cayenne cultivar.