VIEW ARTICLE

Ecology and Epidemiology

Effect of Plant Residue Amendments and Chemical Treatments Upon the Inoculum Potential of Cylindrocladium floridanum in Soil. J. A. Menge, Assistant Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside 92502; D. W. French, Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul 55108. Phytopathology 66:1085-1089. Accepted for publication 8 March 1976. Copyright © 1976 The American Phytopathological Society, 3340 Pilot Knob Road, St. Paul, MN 55121. All rights reserved.. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-66-1085.

Microsclerotia of Cylindrocladium floridanum germinated more frequently in the vicinity of all plant amendments tested than in nonamended soil. The fungus exhibited characteristics of a competitive soil saprophyte and was capable of colonizing all buried crop amendments tested in four soils. Residues of plants susceptible to root infection by C. floridanum and propylene oxide-sterilized plant residues were colonized most frequently. Buried grass significantly increased the inoculum potentials of C. floridanum in field plots located on two different soil types. Ground corncobs did not affect the inoculum potential of C. floridanum in plots on one soil type. Trichlorodinitrobenzene and methyl bromide treatments prior to infestation of soil with C. floridanum had little effect upon C. floridanum inoculum potentials in amended plots.