GROWTH OF AGROSTIS-PALUSTRIS IN RESPONSE TO ADVENTITIOUS ROOT INFECTION BY CURVULARIA-LUNATA

Curvularia ia lunata is reported as a minor pathogen of adventitious r oots of Agrostis palustris. C. lunata isolates from roots of A. palust ris were evaluated for their ability to infect adventitious roots at t emperatures ranging from 23 to 48 degrees C. All isolates of C. lunata decreased both the shoot and root growth of root-inoculated plants du ring a 10-week observation period, but failed to produce the foliar sy mptoms observed in the field. Shoot and root weights of inoculated pla nts were 47-66% and 55-69% of their respective controls. Infected root s were light tan in colour without lesions or rot, and infections were restricted to root hairs and cortical tissue. These observations are discussed relative to the nature of the pathogenicity of C. lunata as a root pathogen and its potential function in a root disease complex.