VIEW ARTICLE

Disease Control and Pest Management

Gliocladium virens, a Destructive Mycoparasite of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. J. C. Tu, Research Station, Research Branch, Agriculture Canada, Harrow, Ontario N0R 1G0; Phytopathology 70:670-674. Accepted for publication 10 December 1979. Copyright 1980 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-70-670.

Gliocladium virens is a mycoparasite of the white mold fungus, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Formation of sclerotia by S. sclerotiorum was inhibited by G. virens but not by other fungi and bacteria that were tested. G. virens, introduced to the culture of S. sclerotiorum after formation of sclerotia parasitized both mycelia and sclerotia of the host fungus and sporulated profusely on the latter. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the mycoparasite formed appressorium-like structures on the host fungus and presumably achieved its infection by active penetration. The results of transmission electron microscopy demonstrated internal parasitism of sclerotial cells by the mycoparasite. The parasitized sclerotia were incapable of either mycelogenic or ascocarpic germination.