Marasmius Root Rot of Alfalfa and Khella in Egypt. H. I. Seif El-Nasr, Plant Protection Department, National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo Egypt. O. F. Abdel-Azim, Plant Protection Department, National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt, and K. T. Leath, Research Plant Pathologist, U.S. Regional Pasture Research Laboratory, University Park, PA 16802.. Plant Dis. 68:906-907. Accepted for publication 23 April 1984. 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, 1984. DOI: 10.1094/PD-68-906.

Basidiomycetes isolated from rotted roots of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and khella (Ammi visnaga) near Giza, Egypt, were evaluated for in vitro growth rates, temperature tolerance, pathogenicity, and similarity to isolates of Marasmiellus inoderma, a basidiomycete pathogen of maize and sugarcane in Egypt. All fungi produced similar white, appressed colonies on potato-dextrose, corn-dextrose, and malt agar media. Colony diameters indicated that the alfalfa and khella isolates were not identical; however, they were similar to those of M. inoderma. Growth of the alfalfa and khella isolates was similar to that of the M. inoderma isolates within the temperature range of 25–35 C, but below 20 C and at 38 C, development of the alfalfa and khella isolates was significantly greater than that of either isolate of M. inoderma. In pathogenicity tests, the alfalfa and khella isolates performed similarly but differently from either M. inoderma isolate on all hosts. Characteristics of basidiocarps of the alfalfa and khella isolates agreed with those designated for the genus Marasmius.

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