FUNGI ASSOCIATED WITH PURPLE LOOSESTRIFE (LYTHRUM-SALICARIA) IN MINNESOTA

Purple loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria, is a major weed of wetlands thr oughout North America. In many sites it has established a monoculture that excludes native plants useful to wildlife. The purpose of this st udy is to evaluate the potential of fungi pathogenic to purple loosest rife that will either control or aid in controlling the plant. In a 3- year study, fungi were isolated from purple loosestrife plants at 16 s ites throughout Minnesota. A total of 5265 fungal isolates were obtain ed. Thirty-one fungal taxa identified to 22 genera were isolated from purple loosestrife that had not previously been reported as either ass ociated with or isolated from purple loosestrife in the United States. Fungi will be selected from among these isolates and tested for patho genicity to purple loosestrife.