Screening techniques and sources of resistance to root rots and wilts in cool season food legumes

Soilborne, fungal pathogens of cool season food legumes, including seed and seedling blights, rot rots, and wilts are described. Seed and seedling diseases are caused primarily by Pythium and Rhizoctonia spp. The most important fungi causing root rots include Aphanomyces euteiches, Fusarium solani, Pythium spp., Sclerotium rolfsii, and Macrophomina phaseolina. Wilt is caused primarily by various host-specific forms of Fusarium oxysporum. This paper discusses these diseases and screening procedures that emphasize standardization of inoculum levels, maintenance of virulent pathogen cultures, inoculum growth media, environmental conditions, and host plant age. Sources of resistance to these diseases are discusse