Gibberella pulicaris. [Descriptions of Fungi and Bacteria].
Abstract A description is provided for Gibberella pulicaris. Information is included on the disease caused by the organism, its transmission, geographical distribution, and hosts. HOSTS: Cereals, flax, hops, lupin, strawberry, tomato, potato. DISEASE: This fungus has a threefold expression in terms of economic importance; canker and dieback, root rots, storage rots. As a canker form it can be a serious disease of hops (Burgess, 1964); as a root rot it attacks a wide variety of hosts especially cereals in Eastern Europe, but also flax (49, 1044), lupin (47, 2190), strawberry (43, 1091), tomato (46, 61c) and numerous other hosts; as a storage rot it is of considerable importance on potato. Although this fungus may be important as a root rotting organism or as a storage rot, the perithecia are usually found only in association with its third role, that of a canker forming or dieback organism of woody hosts. GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: Common in N. temperate and Mediterranean regions; Asia, Europe, N. Africa and N. America. In the southern hemisphere it probably represents an introduction. Dingley (36, 127) states the early records for NZ are misidentifications although it has since been recorded there on passion fruit (49, 2943). In Australia it can be a serious problem in stored potatoes. TRANSMISSION: By conidial splash or by ascospores; canker of hops becomes progressively more severe if infected material is allowed to remain in the hop garden.