VOLUME LXIlI NUMBER 3 
BE Bs 
BOTANICAL GAZETTE 
SEPTEMBER 1916 
A PHYSIOLOGICAL STUDY OF TWO STRAINS OF 
FUSARIUM IN THEIR CAUSAL RELATION TO 
TUBER ROT AND WILT OF POTATO 
CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE HULL BOTANICAL LABORATORY 219° 
GEORGE K. K. LINK 
(WITH THIRTEEN FIGURES) 
There is little doubt among phytopathologists that members of 
the genus Fusarium play an important réle in producing diseased 
conditions in many plants, both wild and cultivated. According to 
WOLLENWEBER (41), Fusarium spp. produce wilt in members of 
the following families: Liliaceae, Bromeliaceae, Musaceae, Solana- 
ceae, Convolvulaceae, Leguminosae, Malvaceae, Linaceae, Cucur- 
bitaceae, Cruciferae, Compositae, Araliaceae, Caryophyllaceae, 
and Pedaliaceae. | 
History 
The genus Fusarium was established by LINK (20, 21) in 1800, 
and Fusarium species were reported on rotted and ring-discolored 
tubers by Martius in 1842, Harti in 1846, and SCHACHT in 1856. 
PizziGont (29) and WEHMER (38, 39) demonstrated by experi- 
mental inoculation that Fusarium species can bring about tuber 
rot. They referred to the Fusarium in question as F. solant. 
Others, however, among them FRANK (11, 12) repeating their work, 
obtained negative results so far as Fusarium species were concerned; 
while De Bary (6) and many others regarded the Fusarium spp. 
as nothing more than obligate saprophytes. 
*In cooperation with the Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station. 
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