Stem-base disease and fungal colonisation of winter wheat grown in compost inoculated with Fusarium culmorum, F. Graminearum and Microdochium nivale

Fungal colonisation of winter wheat cv. Cadenza by Fusarium culmorum, F. graminearum and Microdochium nivale was studied under conditions designed to avoid the splash dispersal of conidia from infested compost, to evaluate the possibility that systemic growth may transfer infection from the stem-base to the head. At decimal growth stages 33, 59, 77-87 and 95 the extent of fungal growth was assessed using a sample of 72 plants, by the recovery of fungal species from the stem-base, from each node and from the ear. Each of the fungi was recovered from stem tissues above soil level in some, apparently symptomless, plants. Symptoms of Fusarium foot rot were seen in an increasing proportion of plants during grain-fill and desiccation. There was an inverse relationship between recovery and the height above stem-base from which the stem tissue was excised. F. culmorum was the most frequently isolated fungus and it was also recovered from the highest position in plants. Only 3% of plants were colonised above the second node and none of the fungal species were recovered from either the fifth node or the ear. This suggests that colonisation and systemic growth from Fusarium infested compost is unlikely to contribute to the development of ear blight symptoms in winter wheat.