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Persistence of Pea Cotyledons Induced by Corynebacterium fascians. K. A. Oduro, Graduate Student, Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside 92502; Donald E. Munnecke, Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside 92502. Phytopathology 65:1114-1116. Accepted for publication 16 April 1975. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-65-1114.

Corynebacterium fascians caused fasciation in garden pea and a permanent retention of the morphological integrity of its cotyledons. Dry weight of the cotyledons decreased to 14% of the original weight 4 weeks after inoculation and planting. In contrast, cotyledons of noninoculated pea plants shriveled in 2 weeks and decomposed shortly thereafter. Nutrients were utilized much more slowly in the diseased plants than in the control. The effects on the cotyledons may serve as a new bioassay for determining cytokinins, and a tool for studying infection by C. fascians.