Reaction of spring barley cultivars grown in Finland to soil-borne infection by Bipolaris sorokiniana and to its toxic metabolites

Authors

• Aarne Kurppa Department of Plant Pathology, University of Helsinki SF-00710 HELSINKI 71, Finland

DOI: https://doi.org/10.23986/afsci.72189

Abstract

Soil-borne infection of Bipolaris sorokiniana caused foot and root rot in all spring barley cultivars studied. Significant differences in susceptibility of the cultivars and pathogenicity of the fungus isolates were found. Primary symptoms caused by the fungus were seedling blight, later foot and root rot. Yield losses caused by the fungus varied from 3 % to 33 % the mean being c. 15 %. Yield losses could occur without severe disease symptoms. Toxic metabolites produced by the fungus induced visible foot and root symptoms in all cultivars tested and caused lesions in the leaves of some cultivars. Variability in toxin production of fungus isolates as well as the reaction of a cultivar to toxins was demonstrated. The cultivars most susceptible to soil-borne infection by the fungus also showed the most severe symptoms when exposed to toxic metabolites of the fungus.