Importance of the proportion of grassy weeds within legume crops in the perpetuation of Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici

Various grass species susceptible to infection by Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici were mixed-sown into a legume crop in order to assess their influence on density of inoculum and take-all disease in a subsequent crop of wheat.
In a pot experiment take-all inoculum increased ( P < 0.001) in all treatments containing a proportion (from 20 to 100%, in increments of 20%) of grass in subterranean clover. In a plot trial, most severe take-all occurred in the 20% legume/80% grass stands and least in the 100% legume and 80% legume/20% grass stands. Total grain weight was highest ( P <0.1) after the 100% legume stands. There was no difference in severity of take-all after pure stands of medic, subterranean clover and lupin, but there was more severe take-all after the grass-infested medic stands than after those of subterranean clover ( P < 0.1) or lupin ( P < 0.05). No significant differences ( P > 0.1) in yield occurred in wheat following any of the legumes or mixed stands.