Sporidesmium sclerotivorum:Distribution and Function in Natural Biological Control of Sclerotial Fungi

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Abstract
The mycoparasite S. sclerotivorum was detected in soil samples from fields in Arizona, California, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon and Washington [USA]. In a field test with natural populations of S. sclerotivorum and Sclerotinia minor, the mycoparasite apparently was responsible for the decline in the number of sclerotia of S. minor. A 2nd field test showed that Sporidesmium sclerotivorum applied to soil at the rate of 100 spores/g of soil was responsible for a similar decline in the survival of sclerotia. S. sclerotivorum was responsible for the natural decline of sclerotia of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Sclerotium cepivorum in a number of field soils.