ROLE OF SEED INFECTION BY THE ASCOCHYTA BLIGHT PATHOGEN OF DRIED PEA (MYCOSPHAERELLA-PINODES) IN SEEDLING EMERGENCE, EARLY DISEASE DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSMISSION OF THE DISEASE TO AERIAL PLANT-PARTS

The role of infected seed in the epidemiology of Ascochyta blight of p ea, caused by Mycosphaerella pinodes, was studied both under growth ch amber and field conditions, using healthy seeds, naturally infected se eds and artificially infected seeds. Results suggest that infected see ds caused serious losses, as a result of poor germination and high tra nsmission of the disease, to parts of the plants under soil level. Foo t rot symptoms often caused the death of young seedlings. Losses were increased by low temperatures during the early stage of crop developme nt. M. pinodes progressed from seeds to aerial parts of the plants, bu t no Ascochyta blight symptoms occurred, the disease remaining near to the basal parts of the plants as a foot rot symptom. This suggests th at seeds cannot be regarded as a source of contamination in the epidem iology of the disease.