Determining the temporal interaction of Camellia cultivar flowering periods and camellia petal blight disease presence in Auckland, New Zealand

Abstract

Botanic gardens hold diverse and valuable living collections that provide a number of research, conservation and education opportunities. Auckland Botanic Gardens (ABG) has an internationally significant collection of species and cultivar camellias that have been used for scientific research into understanding which species are susceptible to camellia petal blight. ABG has surveyed all cultivars and species in its collection over multiple years to identify which camellias are affected by petal blight and which avoid it, based on their flowering period. A total of 363 camellias were assessed for petal blight over 6 years of surveying. It was found that 245 cultivars and 6 species were susceptible to the disease, while 68 cultivars and 32 species did not display any visual symptoms. These are important findings, as enthusiasts and breeders alike may use them to inform their respective interests.