POTENTIAL FOR BIOLOGICAL-CONTROL OF DOWNY BROME (BROMUS-TECTORUM) ANDMEDUSAHEAD (TAENIATHERUM-CAPUT-MEDUSAE) WITH CROWN AND ROOT-ROT FUNGI

The effects of five soil fungi, endemic to the western United States, were evaluated for disease reaction, root dry weights and shoot dry we ights on five grass species. The undesired grass, downy brome or medus ahead, the perennial forage species, squirreltail or western wheatgras s, and winter wheat were susceptible to take-all. Downy brome, medusah ead, squirreltail, and winter wheat were susceptible to crown rot. The desired grasses, squirreltail, western wheatgrass, and winter wheat, were susceptible to barepatch. Crown rot is adapted to dry soils and m ay be a potential biological control on downy brome and medusahead in the arid environment of the western U.S.