ARS | Publication request: Ascochyta blight of peas

Submitted to: Plant Health Progress
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: January 28, 2011
Publication Date: March 30, 2011
Citation: Skoglund, L. G., Harveson, R. M., Chen, W., Dugan, F., Schwartz, H. F., Markell, S. G., Porter, L., Burrows, M. L., and Goswami, R. 2011. Ascochyta blight of peas. Plant Health Progress DOI: 10.1094/PHP-2011-0330-01-RS

Interpretive Summary: Identification, taxonomy & nomenclature, epidemiology, symptoms, host ranges, and management are described for three fungal pathogens which collectively and individually cause Ascochyta blight of field pea (Pisum sativum): Ascochyta pisi, Ascochyta pinodes, and Ascochyta pinodella. Protocols are provided for isolation, growth on artificial media, and storage of these pathogens. A sketch is provided for conduct of pathogenecity tests, including scoring of lesions. Text and photographs are formulated for use by growers, diagnosticians and other plant science professionals.

Technical Abstract: Identification, taxonomy & nomenclature, epidemiology, symptoms, host ranges, and management are described for three fungal pathogens which collectively and individually cause Ascochyta blight of field pea (Pisum sativum): Ascochyta pisi, Ascochyta pinodes, and Ascochyta pinodella. The first two are the anamorphs (asexual states) of Didymella pisi, and Didymella pinodes (Mycosphaerella pinodes), respectively. The teleomorph (sexual state) of A. pinodella (Phoma medicaginis var. pinodella) has been documented but not formally named. Both Ascochyta pinodes and A. pinodella have recently been assigned to Peyronellaea (P. pinodes and P. penodella). The status of molecular identification techniques is concisely described. Protocols and growth media are specified for isolation, in vitro culture, and cryostorage, as well as for pathogenicity tests and the scoring of lesions.