The Identity of a Pea Blight Fungus in South Africa *

Abstract

The perfect stage of Ascochyta pinodes (Berk. & Blox.) Jones, a cause of pea blight in Natal, was compared with type material of  Sphaeria pinodes Berk, and Blox.,  Mycosphaerella pinodes (Berk. & Blox.) Stone, and  Didymella pinodes (Berk. & Blox.) Petrak and the development o f its ascocarps studied.

Two types of ascocarp were found on the material of  Didymella pinodes, one perithecial and the other ascolocular in structure. The ascocarp of the South African fungus was typically ascolocular in development and construction and similar to that of other species of Mycosphaerella. These ascocarps were identical to those of  Sphaeria pinodes and Mycosphaerella pinodes and the ascolocular ascocarps of the  DidymeUa pinodes material.

In development and morphology this fungus agrees more closely with the original generic concepts of the genus Mycosphaerella Joh. than with  Didymella Sacc. and should thus be named Mycosphaerella pinodes (Berk. & Blox.) Stone.