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Pathogenicity and Infection Sites of Aspergillus Species in Stored Seeds. G. E. Harman, Assistant Professor, Department of Seed and Vegetable Science, Cornell University, New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, Geneva, New York; F. L. Pfleger, Research Plant Pathologist, USDA, ARS, Cornell University, New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, Geneva, New York, Present address of second author: Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul 55101. Phytopathology 64:1339-1344. Accepted for publication 14 May 1974. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-64-1339.

Wheat, pea, squash, and tomato seeds were inoculated with seven different Aspergillus isolates representing common species of storage fungi. Wheat seeds were infected and the percent germination was reduced by all isolates. Pea seeds were infected, and the percent germination was reduced, by members of the A. glaucus and A. restrictus group species. Squash seeds were infected by six of the isolates, but germination was reduced by a single isolate of A. flavus. Tomato seeds were unaffected by any of the isolates. Embryos of wheat seeds were readily invaded. The infected embryos were dark, and they were jellylike when imbibed. Embryos of squash and embryonic axes of peas were seldom invaded by pathogenic isolates and the fungi in both seeds were confined to layers of dead cells between the seed coat and the embryo.