Host specificity of root-invading fungi from New Zealand pasture soils.

Abstract

Fungi were isolated from roots of white clover (Trifolium repens) and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) in a single turf sample from pasture. Several species of fungi were common in roots of both plant species but Bimuria novaezelandiae and Phoma chrysanthemicola were isolated only from white clover, and Phialophora radicicola only from ryegrass. However, in pathogenicity tests with seedlings grown on water agar, most isolates, including those of fungi showing marked host specificity in the field, invaded seedling roots of both white clover and ryegrass.