Biological weed control with fungal pathogens in Hungary

Today, the standard method for weed control in Hungary is the use of herbic ides. But the search for parasitic fungi for biological weed control starte d already one decade ago. In this context the authors identified a number o f fungal pathogens suitable for biological weed control from 20 different w eed species. Detailed host-parasitic investigations were conducted with a n umber of weed fungus associations: Datura stramonium - Alternaria crassa, C enchrus pauciflorus - Sporisorium cenchri, Stellaria media - Peronospora me dia, Orobanche spp. - Fusarium spp. Only week efficiency was achieved again st weeds with the pure cultures of the test fungi in pot and field trials.