Infection of red raspberry styles and carpels by Botrytis cinerea and its possible role in post‐harvest grey mould

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Abstract
SUMMARY: The gynecium was selected for histological studies of infection of red raspberry (Rubus idaeus) flowers in the laboratory because it is one of several possible infection sites leading to fruit grey mould. Infection of emasculated flowers occurred when dry conidia were dusted on to receptive stigmas. The conidia germinated in the stigmatic fluid of both non‐pollinated flowers and flowers pollinated before inoculation, their germ tubes then penetrated the stigma and hyphae grew intercellularly through the transmitting tissues of the style to enter the carpel within 7 days. The possible roles of stylar infections and endophytic mycelium are discussed in the context of grey mould development.