Feb. 17, 19*3 
Parasitic Fungi Internal o) Seed Corn 
503 
It is a common observation that where wheat follows com wheat scab 
is more prevalent. The ascospores from infected cornstalks, kernels, 
and cobs overwintering in the field are, no doubt, in part the source of 
the inoculum. The kernels on the terminal portion of ears appears to 
be as subject to infection as any of the kernels in wheat heads. This 
would appear to have been the method of infection of the ears shown 
in Plate 13, A, B. 
Hoffer, Johnson, and Atanasoff (19) report Gibberella saubinetvi from 
com and wheat which was used for inoculation on wheat, saying that— 
the organisms from both sources have also been found to be similar morphologically. 
In view of the facts developed by this evidence, it seems certain that these are inter¬ 
crop parasites which are of great importance in developing control measures for one 
of the rots of the root, stalk, and ear of com and for scab of wheat. 
With the usual abundant fruiting of Gibber ella saubinetvi on old corn¬ 
stalks it is not difficult to secure pure cultures in order to determine 
the species isolated from the growth on germinating kernels. The 
fungus produces a very effused growth on the various media used. 
When the surface of the medium is completely covered by the mycelium 
a carmine red appearance is produced and the aerial mycelium becomes 
yellowish in color. Conidia which are 3-septate to 5-septate developed 
very sparingly in culture, and no true chlamdospores were found. The 
conidia observed in our cultures were for the greater part 5-septate. 
Measurements were made from conidia on dextrose agar and averaged 
42 to 52.5 n by 3.5 to 4.7 ix. A good detailed description of this species 
is given by Wollenweber (40). 
FUSARIUM MONILIFORME SHELDON 
This fungus, described by Sheldon (29) in 1904 was not referred to 
again until the association of this species with seedling-blight of conifers. 
Spaulding (32) mentions this species among some damping-off fungi on 
seedling conifers. Hartley, Merrill, and Rhoads (13) found it to be the 
most virulent of those tested on seedling conifers. As previously men¬ 
tioned, Valleau (36) considers this fungus as the common cause of the 
root, stalk, and ear rot of corn. Norton and Chen (23) recently called 
attention to a new parasite of corn. They discussed the resemblance 
of their fungus to Oospora verticilloides Sacc. They consider their fungus 
is similar to Fusarium moniliforme, in so far as the type of catenulate 
conidia is concerned, but failed to find any fusiform or macroconidia as 
described by Sheldon (29). No mention of macroconidia since Sheldon's 
studies has been described by any investigators in their studies with this 
fungus. They are sparingly developed, which accounts for their not being 
commonly observed. It is of further interest that a species of Fusarium 
should possess catenulate conidia, as this does not agree with the char¬ 
acters of this form genus. Appel and Wollenweber (3) and Sherbakoff 
(30) do not consider catenulate conidia in their description of this 
form genus. 
The fungus Oospora verticilloides described by Saccardo (27) on corn 
is no doubt identical with Fusarium moniliforme . The illustration of 
spores and their method of formation and measurement (26) are identical. 
Later Deckenbach (9, 10) and Tiraboschi (33) observed this fungus on 
corn in connection with their studies on pellegra. Deckenbach (9) 
observed the violet and lavender color this fungus takes on under cul- 
