INFECTION STRUCTURES OF MICRODOCHIUM-BOLLEYI ON BARLEY ROOTS AND COLEOPTILES

Microdochium bolleyi grows within roots and coleoptiles of barley either leading to a damage of the tissue or to a symptomless infection. The present work investigated whether these different types of infection are correlated with different infection structures of the fungus. Two types of hyphae were formed infecting either the rhizodermis or the epidermis. The fungus spread within the cortex only, not affecting the endodermal cells or the vascular tissue. The extend to which the roots were damaged depended on the infection density. Differences in the structure of hyphae formed in symptomless or necrotic parts of the roots were not observed. In both, roots and coleoptiles, hyphae were detected in dead cells only.