VIEW ARTICLE

Prevalence and Pathogenicity of Fungi Associated with Achenes of Sycamore in the Field and in Storage. Golam A. Fakir, Graduate Student, North Carolina State University, Raleigh 27607, Senior author is currently Senior Lecturer, Department of Plant Pathology, East Pakistan Agricultural University, Mymensingh; Ronald E. Welty(2), and Ellis B. Cowling(3). (2)Plant Pathologist, ARS USDA, North Carolina State University, Raleigh 27607; (3)Professor of Plant Pathology and Forest Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh 27607. Phytopathology 61:660-668. Accepted for publication 11 January 1971. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-61-660.

The most prevalent fungi associated with sycamore achenes were species of Alternaria, Aureobasidium, Cladosporium, Epicoccum, Fusarium, Pestalotia, Peyronellaea, Phoma, Phomopsis, and Xylaria. They varied in prevalence with the location, physiographic region, and year of collection. Achenes stored at 2 C showed no loss in germinability even after 7 months. At 20 and 30 C, however, germinability decreased with increasing temperature, relative humidity, and time in storage. Most fungi isolated from achenes at the time of harvest decreased in prevalence with increasing temperature, relative humidity, and time in storage. At the same time, Aspergillus ruber, Aspergillus repens, and Nodulisporium hinnuleum, fungi that had not been isolated from the achenes prior to storage, increased in prevalence with time in storage. Surface-disinfected achenes containing 15% moisture (wet weight basis) were inoculated with spores and mycelia of five fungi and stored at 30 C and 84-86% relative humidity. Those inoculated with Aspergillus ruber and Aspergillus repens decreased in germinability more than noninoculated controls after storage for 35 days.