Survival and recovery of Phytophthora capsici and oomycetes in tailwater and soil from vegetable fields in Florida

A current trend in Florida agriculture to conserve water is to irrigate with surface runoff water (tailwater) recovered in retention ponds and canals. Water filtration and lemon leaf baiting recovered Phytophthora capsici and other plant pathogenic Oomycetes in runoff water from ponds and canals. A total of 196 isolates of Phytophthora spp. and 471 isolates of Pythium spp. were recovered. Phytophthora spp. included P. capsici, P. cinnamomi, R. lateralis, P. nicotianae, R. citricola, P. cryptogea and P. erythroseptica. Species of Pythium were P. aphanidermatum, P. catenulatum, P. helicoides, R. irregulare, P. myriotylum, and Pythium 'group F'. Isolates of P. aphanidermatum, P. irregulare, R. myriotylum, and Pythium 'group F' were pathogenic on pepper and tomato. Recovery of P capsici propagules was related to soil moisture-holding capacity and time interval but not temperature. Recovery of P. capsici propagules at 100 % soil moisture-holding capacity and 30 degrees C was 57 days. In tailwater, recovery of propagules of P capsici was 63 days at 24 degrees C to 25 degrees C. The potential exists to reintroduce and disseminate species of Phytophthora and Pythium when using tailwater for irrigation or other practices.