208 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. XIV, No. s 
of this material was deposited in the pathological collections of the 
Bureau of Plant Industry, United States Department of Agriculture, 
and upon examination a large percentage of the spores were i-septate. 
Spore measurements and other characters show it to be identical with 
the organism with which the writer has been working. This fungus 
therefore was present in this country before the importations men¬ 
tioned above were made. In the light of these facts it is impossible to 
state definitely the source of infection. Either the fungus may have 
been imported with the seed or the infection of these plants may have 
originated from domestic sources. 
DESCRIPTION OF PODSPOT 
This disease has not been found to affect the leaves under natural 
conditions, and leaves sprayed with a suspension of the spores in water 
were not infected. Spots similar to those on the pods (Pi. 23, A) are 
found on the limbs (PI. 23, B), but the damage there is relatively small. 
The greatest injury is done to the pods, and for that reason the common 
name “podspot” is proposed for this disease. 
The causal organism grows rather slowly in the host tissue. There is 
little or no evidence of infection for a week or so after inoculation, but 
soon after that time a dark band, somewhat watersoaked in appearance, 
appears around the point of inoculation. From this time on develop¬ 
ment is a little more rapid, and a spot % to 1 inch in diameter results 
at the end of two or three weeks. Numerous pycnidia appear at about 
this time in the dead tissue. They continue to increase in number and 
to form in a more or less concentric manner as more host tissue is killed. 
On the death of the pod, pycnidia may or may not develop indiscrimi¬ 
nately over the entire surface. 
The spots are oval to oblong in shape, the longest diameter being the 
long way of the pod. The fungus follows the course of the fibrovascular 
bundles, and often the bundles may be found invaded and blackened 
some distance in advance of any evidence of the fungus on the surface. 
The fungus eventually grows through the pod, into and among the seed. 
Pycnidia were found on the seed, and the fungus was isolated from the 
seed after thoroughly washing and disinfecting the surface. 
CAUSE OF OKRA PODSPOT 
Isolations from diseased pods have always yielded a fungus bearing 
the characteristics of one of the Sphaeropsidaceae. Diseased pods and 
stems were wintered out with the hope that a perfect stage of the organ¬ 
isms might develop. However, even as late as June the same imperfect 
fungus was isolated from the old pods. Until more is known of the life 
history of the fungus it will be referred to the form genus Ascochyta 
(A. abelmoschiy n. sp.) and tentatively described as follows: 
