VIEW ARTICLE

Fusarium spp. as Colonists and Potential Pathogens in Root Zones of Grassland Plants. William A. Kreutzer, Professor of Botany and Plant Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins 80521; Phytopathology 62:1066-1070. Accepted for publication 31 March 1972. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-62-1066.

Chlamydospore-forming Fusarium spp. were major midsummer fungal isolates from outer feeder-root zones of representative plants of the western shortgrass plains. Nonfusarial parasites were principal fungal isolates only from inner root tissues of plants in cultivated soils. Isolates of F. roseum were most frequently encountered in gramineous plants, followed in descending order by F. solani and F. oxysporum. Isolates of F. solani were most abundant in sugar beet root zones, followed by F. roseum and F. oxysporum. Potentially pathogenic forms of F. roseum and F. solani may be present in the rhizospheres of nonhost grassland plants.