CULT: Leaf Removal & Soft Rot

I was just reading an article from Tall Talk on the TBIS website, by
Richard Ernst, titled "Basic Control of Disease." The article
included the following statement:

"[Bacterial soft rot] is also a companion disease, developing in
injuries caused by other diseases. Removal of leaves by tearing or
pulling instead of cutting with a sharp knife or shears can create a
point of entry and development of soft rot."

I remove dead and almost-dead leaves by pulling them off the rhizome
in a sort of peeling motion (pulling back and away from the fan).
However, I only pull off leaves that come off easily. I'm thinking
that this shouldn't leave the rhizome open to infection, because
removing a dead or dying leaf shouldn't create an open wound, because
a dead or mostly-dead leaf that comes off easily will have already
developed an abcission layer of cells at its base to protect the
rhizome, correct? If it doesn't come off easily, I assume the
abcission layer has not completely formed and so I leave the leaf on
for a while longer. 

Am I wrong to remove leaves this way?

Not shur iffin I'm a thinkin' correctly, but I'm a thinkin'. (A
former Yankee - lernin' my suthern from Mr. Burleson. <G>)
Diana
Central VA, z7a

---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE IRIS
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index