Numbers and Distribution of Sclerotia of Macrophomina phaseolina in the Soils of South Carolina. Charles Cottingham, Professor, Department of Natural Sciences, South Carolina State College, Orangeburg 29117. Plant Dis. 65:355-356. Copyright 1981 American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/PD-65-355.

Each of 692 soil samples from 46 counties contained sclerotia of Macrophomina phaseolina. The number of sclerotia varied among fields and ranged from 6 to 168, with an average of 75 per gram of soil. Twenty-seven counties (59%) were below the average, while 10 counties (22%) were above the average (76–100 sclerotia per gram). The number of sclerotia in nine counties (19%) varied between 100 and 168 per gram. There appeared to be no definite pattern of sclerotial distribution in the state. Adjacent counties showed great disparity in population densities.