Leptosphaeria korrae and Phialophora graminicola Associated with Fusarium Blight Syndrome of Poa pratensis in New York. R. W. Smiley, Associate Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853. M. Craven Fowler, Research Support Specialist, Department of Plant Pathology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853. Plant Dis. 68:440-442. Accepted for publication 12 January 1984. Copyright 1984 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/PD-68-440.

Two fungi with growth habits similar to that of Gaeumannomyces graminis were found to be associated with a patch disease of Poa pratensis in New York. Both pathogens have been shown capable of causing the disease, which is indistinguishable from the poorly understood Fusarium blight syndrome. The process by which Leptosphaeria korrae and Phialophora graminicola caused the ringlike patterns characterizing Fusarium blight syndrome is being investigated further. This is the first report of L. korrae and P. graminicola in North America and of their occurrence on Poa spp.