Curvularia trifolii as a high-temperature turfgrass pathogen

Abstract

Laboratory tests indicated that Curvularia trifolii (Kauff.) Boedijn can cause severe disease of the turfgrasses Agrostis tenuis Sibth., A. palustris Huds. cv. ‘Pencross’, and Poa annua L., particularly at temperatures between 25° and 35°. Festuca rubra L. var. commutata Gaud. was moderately resistant. Curvularia trifolii isolates differed in virulence on these hosts. Optimum temperatures near 30° for growth in culture were closely related to optimum temperatures for disease development. Turf temperatures in the range most conducive to C. trifolii disease development occur in summer. In vitro fungicide tests showed that mancozeb and thiram were most inhibitory to C. trifolii, although 11 isolates differed in their susceptibility to thiram. © 1976 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.