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Ecology and Epidemiology

Survival of Colletotrichum graminicola in Soil. M. A. Vizvary, Graduate student, Science and Education Administration, Agricultural Research, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907; H. L. Warren, plant pathologist, Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907. Phytopathology 72:522-525. Accepted for publication 24 July 1981. This article is in the public domain and not copyrightable. It may be freely reprinted with customary crediting of the source. The American Phytopathological Society, 1981.. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-72-522.

Mycelia and conidia of Colletotrichum graminicola lysed when buried between nylon-mesh disks in field soil in petri dishes. At 16, 24, and 30 C, nearly all conidia were destroyed when incubated in soil for 14 days. At 8 C, 3% of the conidia were viable after 100 days of incubation in soil. Destruction of mycelium was complete after 16 and 11 days when soil was placed on mycelial mats or on cultures growing on peptone agar, respectively. Cultures kept in darkness for 15 days did not lyse. Conidia were most abundant 8 days after addition of soil. However, sporulation of lysing mycelium did not appreciably enhance survival of the pathogen. There was no lysis of conidia or mycelium in sterilized soil. Sporulation of C. graminicola occurred concurrently with lysis of the mycelium.