FIRST RECORD OF PYTHIUM-MASTOPHORUM IN NEW-ZEALAND AND ITS PATHOGENICITY RELATIVE TO OTHER PYTHIUM SPP

Pythium mastophorum, not previously recorded in New Zealand, was isola ted from soil from two Auckland strawberry-growing sites. The oospores have characteristic regular conical mammiform spines, readily disting uishing it from Pythium spp. other than P. polymastum. A brief study o f these isolates was carried out to determine how the pathogenicity to vegetable seedlings of P. mastophorum compared with that of other Pyt hium spp. They were found to be moderately pathogenic to a range of th ese seedlings.