Data from week 15 in 2004–05,
week 12 in 2006–07, and week 16 in
2007–08 were used for statistical analysis.
The back-transformed mean percent plant
mortality in inoculated control plots at
these time points was 71.7, 69.0, and
49.4% for the 2004–05, 2006–07, and
2007–08 seasons, respectively. There were
no obvious environmental factors such as
poor weather conditions for infection following
inoculations or sustained low temperatures
during the season that could
explain differences in disease incidences
across seasons, nor did disease incidence
correlate with the concentration of inoculum
applied. The contribution of inoculum
spray drift, secondary spread, or crown rot
caused by a pathogen other than that used
for inoculations to plant mortality was low
each season, with mean crown rot incidence
of 1.4% in 2004–05, 4.3% in 2006–
07, and 1.4% in 2007–08 in noninoculated
control plots. Analyses were conducted to
determine if fungicides reduced mortality
relative to that found in inoculated plots
that did not receive fungicide