VARIABILITY IN FUSARIUM SOLANI F. PISI AND F. OXYSPORUM F. PISI

Abstract

Fusarium solani f. pisi and F. oxysporum f. pisi were isolated from diseased peas in Ontario. Several isolates were selected and subjected to a thorough study of their variability in culture and within the host. Variants of F. oxysporum f. pisi were obtained that resembled F. solani f. pisi in cultural characteristics and in ability to produce root-rot symptoms in peas. Variants of F. solani f. pisi were formed in culture and in the host that caused a purple coloration on potato dextrose agar and produced only wilt symptoms on peas. It is suggested that the pea-wilt and root-rot Fusaria constitute a single species.