RECOVERY IN WHEAT FROM EARLY INFECTIONS BY HELMINTHOSPORIUM SATIVUM AND FUSARIUM CULMORUM

Abstract

The tendency of wheat plants to recover from initial stunting by Helminthosporium sativum and Fusarium culmorum was studied under field conditions by comparing areas of the successively formed leaves of the main culm. The yields of grain were taken as the over-all measure of the influence of disease on the plants.H. sativum when applied to seed caused significant reduction in areas of the first and second leaves of the seedlings. Successive leaves were progressively larger in relation to those of the uninoculated plants. The two varieties in the experiment were about equally stunted in the early seedling stage. Reward made a notable recovery as indicated by increased areas of the later leaves and a substantially greater yield of grain than in the controls. Thatcher made only a partial recovery and its yield of grain was slightly depressed.F. culmorum produced less stunting than H. sativum in seedling leaves, and recovery as indicated in the later leaves was less marked though significant.H. sativum and F. culmorum on the same plants caused more initial stunting of leaves followed by greater recovery than with either fungus alone.