A seedborne fungus Bipolaris spicifera detected from imported grass seeds

Abstract

Seedborne fungus Bipolaris spicifera, which has not been previously reported in Korea, was detected from imported grass seeds in the country. The most frequently detected fungi from the seeds were Fusarium species, Ulocladium atrum, B. spicifera, Altemaria, and Cuvularia lunata among 17 different seed samples of the family Gramineae. Detection frequencies of B. spicifera were 11, 8, 5% in Bermuda grass, tall fescue, and mixed lawn grass imported from USA, respectively, and 9% in mixed lawn grass imported from Italy. This suggests that important seedborne pathogen could be spread between countries through seed sources. The pathogen was seed-transmitted causing damping-off of Bermuda grass seedlings and showed strong pathogenicity to rice, corn, Bermuda grass, sorghum, and tall fescue. However, it did not infect wheat and blue grass.