SPOT BLOTCH ON VOLUNTEER WHEAT PLANTS IN SICHUAN, CHINA

Abstract

Spot blotch has frequently been observed in volunteer wheat plants in Sichuan (China). A fungus isolated from leaf lesions was identified as Bipolaris sorokiniana (Sacc.) Shoemaker, based on morphology and comparisons of DNA sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), translation elongation factor 1-α (EF-1α), and β-tubulin (BT) genes. Volunteer wheat plants were found to have a major role in B. sorokiniana oversummering in Sichuan, which makes their eradication important for reducing the inoculum that starts disease outbreaks.