16 CIRCULAR 137, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
stems of the plants are attacked from the soil surface upward, 
and the bark is killed and sloughs away. The plant dies gradu- 
ally, shedding the lower leaves, ~ the shedding advancing upward. 
The entire plant finally succumbs, sheds all “its leaves, ‘and turns 
brownish black. The fungus produces fruiting structures and spores 
abundantly over the cankerous areas on the stem. These areas 
are also overgrown in most instances with a Fusarium species, 
which assumes a secondary more or less saprophytic role. This dis- 
ease spreads from one plant to another and advances rapidly from 
the central source of inoculum. Where it occurs, it is severe in its 
attacks, but generally the loss is not great. 
CERCOSPORA LEAF SPOT 
The cercospora leaf-spot disease is caused by Cercospora erota- 
lariae Sacc. Both Crotalaria striata and C . spectabilis are attacked 
by this disease, but it is not serious on the former. On the latter, 
however, it assumes considerable proportions and during the latter 
part of the summer has caused almost entire defoliation. The spots 
appearing on the leaves are more or less scattered. At first they 
are dark colored, slightly sunken, and irregular in outline, increas- 
ing in size as they grow older, often to a centimeter in diameter, and 
a large percentage develop whitish centers. The fungus fruits pro- 
lifically on both surfaces of the spots. The spots on (C. striata are 
much smaller, usually round, sunken, and of tannish-brown color. 
This disease may be found also wherever the host plant is grown. 
DAMPING-OFF 
In the spring plantings of crotalaria there is considerable damp- 
ing-off, caused by Corticium vagum B. and C. This trouble does 
not appear to be limited to any specific species of the host plant. 
The fungus attacks the seedlings at the soil line, girdling them, and 
-as a result the plants are killed in very typical fashion. This dis- 
ease is more pronounced in low, wet places, and a great amount of 
damage occurs during periods of wet, cool weather. 
SOUTHERN BLIGHT 
Southern blight, caused by Sclerotium rolfsi Sacc., is rather com- 
mon and is well distributed throughout Florida, attacking crota- 
laria wherever it is grown, appearing more or less common on the 
more widely grown species, such as Crotalaria striata and C. spec- 
a ilis. The latter has experienced the greater losses. The fungus 
ttacks the plants at almost any time ~ during their development 
fr om the seedling stage to seeding, girdles the plants at the soil line, 
and eventually kills them, after which they turn brown, and if the 
plants are past the seedling stage they usually remain standing. 
The fungus produces innumerable small, round, brown sclerotia on 
the stem of the plant and in its immediate vicinity at the soil line. 
GRAY MOLD 
Gray mold, caused by Botrytis cinerea Pers., has been very con- 
spicuous during past seasons on Crotalaria spectabilis. In the vicin- 
ity of Gainesville, Fla., this disease has caused losses averaging 3 to 
