Alternaria Blight of Pea. L. Susuri, Visiting Scholar, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison 53706. D. J. Hagedorn, Professor, and R. E. Rand, Specialist, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison 53706. Plant Dis. 66:328-330. Accepted for publication 21 December 1981. Copyright 1982 American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/PD-66-328.

A foliage and pod blight of pea (Pisum sativum) incited by Alternaria alternata is described for the first time. The predominant foliage symptoms in the field were tannish brown, oval lesions 5–8 mm in diameter, with indefinite margins. Greenhouse-grown plants showed numerous small purple-black lesions, which led to premature desiccation of the affected tissue. High-moisture treatments before and after inoculation, high conidial concentrations in the inoculum, moderate incubation temperatures, inoculation of older plants, and addition of Tween 20 to the inoculum favored infection. None of 28 pea cultivars tested was resistant or moderately resistant.

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