SOIL CONDITIONS AND THE TAKE‐ALL DISEASE OF WHEAT

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Abstract
Summary: Attempts to produce infection of wheat seedlings by the ascospores of Ophiobolus graminis in a variety of natural soils and in sand have failed. Yet, the ascospores germinate well on nutrient agars, and the resulting agar cultures produce infection as readily as cultures obtained from mycelium.Ascospore infection of sterile wheat seedlings growing in sterilized soil may be obtained without difficulty. The nutrients present in sterilized soil are unnecessary for the initiation of ascospore infection, which occurs as freely as in sterile sand. Ascospore infection is, therefore, considered to be inhibited in unsterilized soils and sand by the antagonism or competition of other soil micro‐organisms.In unsterilized sand this antagonism is not sufficient to hinder infection by agar inoculum, nor does it appreciably impede the progress of infection along the roots. It is suggested, therefore, that microbiological interference with the initiation of ascospore infection is a competitive rather than an antagonistic effect, and is due to assimilation by the general soil microflora of the nutritive substances excreted from the growing and developing roots. Only under sterile conditions is this organic detritus available to the germinating ascospores.The results of these experiments render it unlikely that the ascospores can play any part in the survival and dispersal of the fungus under field conditions.