REACTION OF MUNG BEAN-PLANTS TO INFECTION BY ISOLATES OF PHIALOPHORA-GREGATA

Phialophora gregata was isolated in 1991 from naturally infected Century soybean and Kiloga and Berken mung bean plants grown in Illinois and Wisconsin. Century soybean and Berken and Kiloga mung bean plants were inoculated in the greenhouse with four isolates recovered from soybeans and nine isolates recovered from mung beans. All isolates caused typical leaf disease symptoms on inoculated Century soybean plants. Leaves on inoculated mung bean plants turned brown and died without developing the interveinal chlorosis that is characteristic of this disease on soybean. The fungus was isolated from vascular tissues of stems and leaves of inoculated plants. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of P. gregata isolated from vascular tissue of soybean or mung bean leaves. Our studies demonstrate that P. gregata is a vascular pathogen of mung bean under natural conditions.