Verticillium albo-atrum and V. dahliae as mycoparasites

Abstract

Verticillium albo-atrum and V. dahliae, normally serious soil-borne pathogens of higher plants, can behave as destructive mycoparasites. Using Rhopalomyces elegans as the test host it was found that both species could readily penetrate the conidiophore walls and grow profusely in the conidiophores and vesicles. The hyphae of V. dahliae may penetrate from the vesicle through the spore connective and into the developing conidia preventing normal maturation in most cases. The significance of these findings in relation to the persistence of these fungi as soil-borne plant pathogens is discussed.