A SINGLE MATING POPULATION OF GIBBERELLA-FUJIKUROI (FUSARIUM-PROLIFERATUM) PREDOMINATES IN ASPARAGUS FIELDS IN CONNECTICUT, MASSACHUSETTS, AND MICHIGAN

Over 250 monosporic isolates of Fusarium spp. that belong to the Fusar ium section Liseola were isolated from asparagus stems and from adult asparagus beetles in seven asparagus fields in Connecticut, one in Mas sachusetts, and one in Michigan. Sexual compatibility pairings with st andard tester strains from six (A-F) distinct mating populations of Gi bberella fujikuroi revealed that 238 out of 253 isolates (94%) could b e assigned to the ''D'' population of G. fujikuroi (anamorph = F. prol iferatum). The remaining 15 isolates were identified as F. proliferatu m but could not be assigned to any mating population. This is the firs t report of isolates in the ''D'' populations of G. fujikuroi predomin ating in a host/pathogen complex.