The relationship between strains of Fusarium graminearum schwabe causing crown rot of various gramineous hosts and stalk rot of maize in Queensland

Abstract

The fungus Fusarium graminearum is shown to have a wide host range on gramineous plants in Queensland. Isolates from hosts other than maize when inoculated onto wheat seed were capable of causing the disease known as crown rot in resulting plants. The same disease was reproduced by wheat isolates in other gramineous hosts including canary grass (Phalaris canariensis), barley, and rye but oats was only slightly susceptible. No symptoms typical of field infection could be reproduced in maize. Root rot occurred in linseed.

The perfect state of the organism as it occurs in Queensland is described and identified as Gibberella zeae. This was reproduced experimentally, easily in the case of maize isolates but only with some difficulty with isolates from other hosts.

The occurrence in Queensland of pathogenic races of Gibberella zeae is postulated.