Ascochyta phleina causes a patch disease on turfgrass

A patch disease of turfgrass causing foliar lesions and patch symptoms on a Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) lawn in Edmonton, Alberta, and on cr eeping red fescue (Festuca rubra L. sap. rubra) turf at Swift Current, Sask atchewan, is described. The symptoms are similar to those caused by Drechsl era poae (Baudys) Shoem. and Cochliobolus sativus (Ito and Kuribay.) Drechs l. ex Dast., but the causal agent was identified as Ascochyta phleina Sprag ue, based on morphological and cultural characteristics. This fungal pathog en occurs on many grass and cereal species in North America, but has not be en reported previously as the cause of a patch disease.