Blight of English Ivy (Hedera helix) caused by Sclerotium rolfsii in Sicily

English ivy, Hedera helix L. (Araliaceae), an evergreen climbing vine is widely cultivated as an ornamental and foliage plant. In the summer of 2005, a severe blight of ivy plants trained as topiaries and grown in an open field was observed in a nursery near Giarre (eastern Sicily). Foliage of infected plants appeared lighter green and progressively turned bronze and withered. Eventually, the entire plant collapsed. Foliar symptoms were associated with basal stem and root rot. White, cottony mycelium and numerous sclerotia developed externally on the lower stem and on the soil around the affected plants. The disease was randomly distributed, affecting approximately 5% of plants in a stock …