Mating behavior in field populations of Monilinia fructicola

The mating behavior of Monilinia fructicola was evaluated by examining the single ascospore progeny from 82 apothecia collected in the San Joaquin Valley of California. The results show that individual apothecia generated populations of genetically diverse progeny as defined by the segregation of mycelial incompatibility genes. Furthermore, a number of apothecia segregated a 1:1 ratio of benomyl resistant and sensitive progeny. These results indicate that M. fructicola is capable of outcrossing and generating new genotypic combinations during each spring as apothecia are produced.