VIEW ARTICLE

Ecology and Epidemiology

Effect of Wetting and the Presence of Peanut Tissues on Germination of Sclerotia of Sclerotium rolfsii Produced in Soil. M. K. Beute, Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, 27650; R. Rodriguez-Kabana, professor, Department of Botany and Microbiology, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36830. Phytopathology 69:869-872. Accepted for publication 9 February 1979. Copyright 1979 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-69-869.

Wetting of Sclerotium rolfsii sclerotia produced in peanut field soil did not enhance germination unless other stimulants also were present. Field-produced sclerotia germinated and S. rolfsii grew profusely in the presence of remoistened dried green peanut stems and leaves, but not in the presence of partially decomposed peanut debris from the field. Dried green leaves from peanut cultivars Florigiant, Florunner, NC 2, NC 3033, and a Spanish selection (C₂) all stimulated equal amounts of sclerotial germination.