SCREENING TURFGRASS SPECIES FOR RESISTANCE TO BROWN PATCH DISEASE

Ten cultivars from two different turfgrass species (Lolium perenne L. and Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) were screened for resistance to Brown Patch disease caused by Rhizoctonia solani Kühn. Preliminary pathogenicity tests with strains of the pathogen belonging to various anastomosis groups i.e. AG1 (IA, IB, IC), AG2-1, AG2-2 (IIIB, IV), AG4 and AG5, showed that the most virulent isolates belonged to AG2-2 IIIB and AG5. Overall, AG5 was more aggressive than AG2-2 IIIB for both species tested. Disease based AUDPC values ranged from 35.98 to 48.21% for AG5 and from 20.05 to 45.51% for AG2-2 IIIB. L. perenne was overall more susceptible than F. arundinacea. Percent disease for the overall effect of both AGs tested ranged from 34.03 to 43.68. Among F. arundinacea cultivars, Rembrand and Jaguar showed the less disease infection (34.03 and 34.12%, respectively), while Titan was the most susceptible (43.19%). The most tolerant L. perenne cultivar to the Brown Patch strains was Barcedo (37.29%) while Polarstar exhibited the highest disease rate (43.68).