INSTITUTE, PUSA, FOR 1918-19 73 



single sclerotia, and in both cases produced the sclerotial 

 fungus (R. Solani) exactly as the original inoculum. Di- 

 seased plants from Dacca were found to carry both R. 

 Solani and a pycnidium containing spores 20 — 28/x X 7 — 10/*. 

 Cultures from single spores and single sclerotia from these 

 specimens both gave the sclerotial fungus. The suggestion, 

 therefore, is that the pycnidium is a spore-bearing stage of 

 the sclerotial fungus, and that this pycnidium only occurs 

 on the jute plant, the sterile form occurring in culture. 



In April, 1919, a reference was noticed, in a current 

 mycological journal, to a fungus parasitic upon jute in 

 Formosa. The fungus was named Macrophoma Corchori 

 Sawada sp. nov., and from the description appeared to be 

 identical with the pycnidium described above. By the 

 courtesy of Professor Kaneyoshi Sawada material of this 

 fungus has been obtained from Japan and examined in 

 Pusa and found to agree with the Indian specimens. 

 Specimens have been sent to Japan in order that a similar 

 comparison may be made there. 



(3) Fruit work in Kumaon. The root rot of apple 

 and cherry trees due to a species of Rosellinia continued to 

 cause a certain amount of loss. Some dead trees have been 

 left standing in the hope that the perfect stage of the 

 fungus will be produced and will enable the species to be 

 identified. This disease was most severe on a section of the 

 orchard which had been recently cleared of jungle and, as 

 mentioned in the last report, is generally worst on the black 

 soils which are rich in humus acids. It also appears to be 

 favoured in situations where drainage is deficient, and ex- 

 tensive drains are projected on one orchard. 



The apple cracking and branch blister, which was attri- 

 buted to the fungus Coniothecium chomatosporum, was not 

 so severe. Field observations have raised considerable 

 doubts as to whether this disease in Kumaon is of the same 

 nature as that described in Europe and South Africa under 

 this name. Thus while the cracking of apples occurs on 

 one variety, the branch blisters are present on two other 

 varieties of which the fruit is undamaged. Further work 



