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Submitted to: American Phytopathogical Society Southern Division
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 2/6/2001 Publication Date: 6/1/2001 Citation: Wilson, J.P. 2001. Temporal and spatial distributions of fungi in maturing pearl millet stalks. Phytopathology 91:S204. Interpretive Summary: not required Technical Abstract: Fungi associated with internal colonization and rotting of stalks were evaluated from pearl millet HGM 100 planted on two dates in 1996 and 1997, and randomly sampled at panicle emergence, stigma emergence, milk, and hard dough stages. Thirty fungal genera or species were isolated from nodes of split, surface-sterilized stalks. Isolations of the most common fungi were affected by growth stage and node position. Fusarium moniliforme was most prevalent at all stages (isolated from 24% of nodes), and isolation increased with advancing growth stage. Fusarium semitectum (11%) was predominantly isolated from lower nodes at panicle and stigma emergence, but was more uniformly distributed within plants at milk and dough stage. Bipolaris setariae (9%) was infrequently isolated during early growth stages, but increased greatly at dough stage. Isolation of Curvularia spp. (7%) was greatest at lower nodes, and was not affected by growth stage. Isolations of Alternaria spp. (7%) and Rhizopus spp. (6%) were greatest at milk stage. Fungi were frequently isolated from asymptomatic nodes of less mature stalks, and node discoloration increased with plant maturation and grain fill. |
