Field testing putative biological controls of take-all: rationale and results1

In seeking biological control of the wheat take-all fungus (Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici) by introduced organisms, the demonstration of satisfactory field performance is proving a formidable hurdle. A novel experimental design incorporating small plots, 37 x 31 cm, has been used in UK at Rothamsted and Woburn since 1983 to test different kinds of control for take-all and to explore some of the problems of providing adequate field tests of putative biocontrol agents. Three years of bacterial treatments, using different plots each year, provided no evidence of effective control of the disease. Of the few significant treatment effects, most occurred in spring and were temporary: at Woburn they were mostly decreases in take-all and at Rothamsted mostly decreases in growth of the wheat plant without concomitant changes in take-all.     

The relative resistance of wheat, rye and triticale to take-all caused by Gaeumannomyces graminis

In seven field experiments conducted over 6 years with a wide range of disease severities, triticale was intermediate in resistance to Gaeumannomyces graminis between wheat (susceptible) and rye (resistant). Use of triticale is suggested as an immediately available means of introducing take-all resistance into cereal cultivation.
Octoploid triticale was slightly more susceptible than hexaploid triticale. There was little evidence of consistent variation in resistance among wheat or rye cultivars but a few hexaploid triticale cultivars varied in resistance. The resistance of triticale was not reliably expressed in the glasshouse tests used, so selection for resistance to take-all in a breeding programme would need to be conducted in the field. Individual pairs of rye chromosomes added to wheat did not significantly reduce its susceptibility. The feasibility of transferring the resistance of rye to wheat is considered.     

Effects of preceding crop,sowing date,N fertilization and fluquinconazole seed treatment on wheat growth,grain yield and take-all

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - The soilborne fungus Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici (Ggt) causing take-all in wheat, barley and rye is regarded as the most important disease on...     

Variation in the effects of take-all disease on grain yield and quality of winter cereals in field experiments

Relationships between take-all intensity and grain yield and quality were determined in field experiments on cereal crops using regression analyses, usually based on single-point disease assessments made during anthesis or grain-filling. Different amounts of take-all were achieved by different methods of applying inoculum artificially (to wheat only) or by using different cropping sequences (in wheat, triticale or barley) or sowing dates (wheat only) in crops with natural inoculum. Regressions of yield or thousand-grain weight on take-all intensity during grain filling were similar to those on accumulated disease (area under the disease progress curve) when these were compared in one of the wheat experiments. Regressions of yield on take-all intensity were more often significant in wheat than in the less susceptible crops, triticale and barley, even when a wide range of disease intensities was present in the latter crops. The regressions usually had most significance when there were plots in the severe disease category. Thousand-grain weight and hectolitre weight usually responded similarly to total grain yield. Decreased yield was often accompanied by a significant increase in the percentage of small grains. When severe take-all was present in wheat, regressions showed that nitrogen uptake was usually impaired. This was sometimes accompanied, however, by increased percentage nitrogen in the grain as a consequence of smaller grain size with decreased endosperm. Significant effects of take-all, both positive and negative, on Hagberg falling number in wheat sometimes occurred. Significant regressions of yield on take-all assessed earlier than usual, ie during booting rather than grain-filling in wheat and triticale and during anthesis/grain-filling rather than ripening in barley, had steeper slopes. This is consistent with observations that severe disease that develops early can be particularly damaging, whilst the crops, especially barley, can later express tolerance by producing additional, healthy roots. The regression parameters, including maximum potential yield (y-axis intercept) and the extrapolated maximum yield loss, also varied according to the different growing conditions, including experimental treatments and other husbandry operations. These differences must be considered when assessing the economic potential of a control measure such as fungicidal seed treatment.     

Effect of Trichothecenes Produced by Fusarium graminearum during Fusarium Head Blight Development in Six Cereal Species

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a complex cereal disease associated with trichothecene production; these mycotoxins are factors of aggressiveness in wheat. Six species (bread and durum wheat, triticale, rye, barley and oats) were submitted to point inoculations with two isogenic strains of Fusarium graminearum; a wild strain (Tri5 +) produced trichothecenes and the mutated strain (Tri5 –) did not. The trichothecene-producing strain was generally more aggressive than the non-producing strain, but this varied according to crop species. The difference in aggressiveness was less pronounced in rye, a very resistant species. High resistance levels were observed in oats due to the large spacing between florets. In six-row barley, despite the existence of a moderate Type II resistance, the fungus was often observed to move externally from one floret to another within the dense spike, without penetrating the rachis. Bread wheat had low resistance to the trichothecene-producing strain and good resistance to the non-producing strain. Triticale responded to the strains in a similar way but was somewhat more resistant to both: symptoms on the spikelets and rachis of the triticales were restricted to below the point of inoculation. Durum wheat was susceptible to the trichothecene-producing strain and only moderately resistant to the non-producing strain, which was able to cause serious damage only to this species. Our study confirmed that the role of trichothecenes in FHB pathogenesis differs among species. The failure of the trichothecene non-producing F. graminearum strain to spread within the inflorescence of wheat, triticale, rye and barley, and the significant reduction of spread in the durum wheat spike strongly suggested that trichothecenes are a major determinant of fungal spread and disease development in Triticeae.     

The classification of isolates of Gaeumannomyces graminis from wheat, rye and oats using restriction fragment length polymorphisms in families of repeated DNA sequences

Isolates of the take-all fungus, Gaeumannomyces graminis var. avenae , which affects oats, wheat and other grasses, and of G.g. var. tritici , which preferentially affects wheat, rye and barley, contain a high proportion of repeated sequences. Total DNA from 57 fungal isolates collected from many locations and different cereal hosts, and scored for virulence on wheat, rye and oats, revealed many restriction fragment length polymorphisms. These RFLP s were observed either by staining the DNA directly, by hybridization to radioactively labelled total fungal DNA , or by hybridization with labelled wheat ribosomal DNA . With only a few exceptions, the isolates with the same preferred cereal hosts showed more similar patterns of restriction fragments than isolates that had different pathogenicity properties on cereal hosts, irrespective of the geographical origins of the isolates. This was even the case for R isolates of G.g. var. tritici that were virulent on wheat and rye compared with N isolates that were virulent only on wheat. Isolates were identified by hybridizing DNA from infected root samples with ³²P-labelled total fungal DNA . The restriction fragment polymorphisms involving families of repeated sequence can therefore be used as a predictive assay for host preference of an isolate, and have probably arisen by host selection of fungal lineages. The variation between isolates in different pathogenicity groups suggests that there is little gene flow between isolates that can infect different hosts, even though they can coexist in the same field.     

The effects of various crops on the survival and carry-over of the wheat take-all fungus Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici

The effects of various crops on the saprophytic survival and carry-over of Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici were studied in the glasshouse and field.
In the glasshouse, survival of G. g. tritici was greater in unplanted pots than in pots planted with either cereals or non-cereals. In the field, fallow and various non-cereal crops reduced carryover of take-all but the disease was severe after wheat, barley and triticale. Grain yields were higher after fallow and non-cereals than after cereal crops.     

A comparison of controlled environment and field trials for detection of resistance in cereal cultivars to root rot caused by Rhizoctonia solani

A screening test was developed to study the effect of different quantities of inoculum of Rhizoctonia solani on root rot and growth of cultivars of wheat, barley, oats, rye and triticale in a controlled environment and the field in two seasons. The ranking of relative susceptibility to disease of cultivars within a cereal differed between the controlled environment and field experiments, and between seasons in the field. The ranking of relative susceptibility between cereals also differed between experiments. In the controlled-environment experiment, wheat had the highest disease rating, followed by oats, barley, triticale and rye, but in the field barley had the highest rating followed by wheat and then oats. The overall differences between the cereals were small.     

Virulence of Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici from fields under short-term and long-term wheat cultivation in the Pacific Northwest, U.S.A.

Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici was recovered from 63% of 731 winter wheat plants collected randomly from six sites where wheat had been grown in monoculture for the previous 7–22 years. Typical take-all was not evident at the time the plants were collected. The fungus was isolated by a baiting method without regard to the presence of take-all on the plants. Isolates from fields under short-term wheat cultivation (3 years or less after a break crop) were obtained by plating directly from infected roots of plants with typical take-all. Virulent isolates comprised 89 and 99% of those collected from long- and short-term wheat cultivation respectively. There was also only a slight difference in the proportions of virulent isolates among monoascosporic subcultures from the two groups of isolates. There was thus little evidence that, during prolonged wheat cultivation, declining virulence in the population of G. graminis var. tritici could account for the absence of take-all.     

Disease levels in winter wheat,rye and triticale grown on soil artificially inoculated withCephalosporium gramineum

Field experiments with winter cereals grown on soil inoculated withC. gramineum showed that wheat and rye cultivars possess some resistance to the pathogen, while the triticale cultivars were the most susceptible. Higher tolerance of the tested wheat cultivars was connected mainly with slow development of disease symptoms; rye cultivars had, on average, lower percentages of plants infected byC. gramineum. The greatest variation in susceptibility toC. gramineum occurred among the selected cultivars of triticale.     

Yield Trends during Take-all Decline in Spring Barley and Wheat Grown Continuously1

The effects of take-all, nitrogen and cropping sequence on grain yield were compared for spring barley and spring wheat grown in extended monoculture. Initial crops showed least take-all and maximum yields. Yields fell to a minimum more rapidly in wheat than in barley while the take-all intensity increased to a maximum; take-all decline occurred and yields improved from the 4th and 5th years respectively. Without nitrogen, yields were at their lowest level; application of nitrogen increased yields considerably with responses in proportion to the rate applied. At optimum rates, yield losses were 33% for wheat and 11% for barley with maximum disease intensity but only 9% and 3% respectively with take-all decline. Potential maximum yields in the absence of take-all were calculated to be greater with barley than with wheat.     

Studies on the host range of the barley strain of Wheat dwarf virus using an agroinfectious viral clone

Comparative analysis of the host ranges of the barley and wheat strains of Wheat dwarf virus (WDV; family Geminiviridae ; genus Mastrevirus ) in Europe has been severely hampered by the lack of an infectious clone of the barley strain. To remedy this situation an agroinfectious clone of a Hungarian isolate of the barley strain (WDV-Bar[HU]) was constructed and its virulence tested in barley ( Hordeum vulgare ), wheat ( Triticum aestivum ), rye ( Secale cereale ) and oat ( Avena sativa ) by agroinoculation. Although all four species could be systemically infected by the isolate, infections were asymptomatic in the rye and oat cultivars tested. WDV-Bar[HU] induced chlorosis and stunting symptoms typical of WDV in barley, while in wheat low infection rates but high mortality of infected seedlings were observed. In contrast, a much higher percentage of wheat plants agroinoculated with a wheat-strain isolate (WDV-[Enk1]) became systemically infected. WDV-[Enk1] in wheat caused symptoms similar to those caused by WDV-Bar[HU] in barley. WDV-Bar[HU] was leafhopper-transmissible to barley seedlings, in which it caused typical WDV symptoms; geminate virus particles were isolated from the infected leaves. Comparison of the genomic sequences of 11 barley strain isolates from Europe and Turkey revealed that whereas WDV-Bar[HU] represents a typical barley-strain isolate that is not detectably recombinant, the Turkish barley isolate (WDV-Bar[TR]) is probably a recombinant between a barley-strain isolate and an as-yet-undescribed WDV-like mastrevirus species.     

Fusarium head blight of cereals in Denmark: species complex and related mycotoxins

Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction differentiating 10 Fusarium spp. and Microdochium nivale or M. majus was applied to a total of 396 grain samples of wheat, barley, triticale, oat, and rye sampled across Denmark from 2003 to 2007, along with selected samples of wheat and barley from 1957 to 2000, to determine incidence and abundance of individual Fusarium spp. The mycotoxins deoxynivalenol (DON), nivalenol, zearalenone, T-2, and HT-2 were quantified using liquid chromatography-double mass spectrometry. Major differences in the Fusarium species complex among the five cereals as well as great yearly variation were seen. Fusarium graminearum, F. culmorum, and F. avenaceum were dominant in wheat, with DON as the dominant mycotoxin. F. langsethiae, F. culmorum, and F. avenaceum were dominant in barley and oat, leading to relatively high levels of the mycotoxins T-2 and HT-2. F. graminearum, F. culmorum, and F. avenaceum dominated in triticale and rye. The nontoxigenic M. nivale/majus were present in significant amounts in all cereal species. Wheat and barley samples from 1957 to 1996 exhibited no or very low amounts of F. graminearum, indicating a recent increase of this pathogen. Biomass and mycotoxin data exhibited good correlations between Fusarium spp. and their corresponding mycotoxins under field conditions.     

Bacterial leaf streak of Gramineae in Iran

Bacterial leaf streaks of wheat and barley in Kerman province (Iran) were found to be distinct in etiology. The barley strains were limited in host range and could only infect barley. The wheat strains were pathogenic to barley, wheat, rye, triticale, Bromus spp., Agropyron spp., Elymus junceus, Lolium multiflorum , and Phalaris tuberosa , but not Dactylis glomerata, Cynodon dactylon, Phleum pratense , and oat. Based on host reactions and electrophoretic patterns of cell proteins, the barley and wheat strains were identified as Xanthomonas campestris pv. hordei and pv. cerealis , respectively.     

Untersuchungen zum Infektionsverlauf und zur biologischen Differenzierung von bodenbürtigen Viren in Roggen, Triticale und Weizen

Abstract In the frame of the investigation of epidemiology of soil-borne viruses, like the Soil-borne cereal mosaic virus (SBCMV), Soil-borne wheat mosaic virus (SBWMV) and the Bymovirus Wheat spindle streak mosaic virus (WSSMV), which were transmitted by fungal vector Polymyxa graminis Ledingham, the infection progress in different cereals was observed. The detection of furovirus and bymovirus in field plants was depending on temperature conditions during the vegetation period and the kind of cereals. The furoviruses tolerate a broad temperature spectrum and once established infection is detectable until the harvest time. In contrast to this observation, the propagation of WSSMV seems to be restricted to lower temperatures. Consequently, this virus is detected best at the end of February until the middle of April. Among the tested cereals, rye becomes more early infected than wheat and triticale. Both furoviruses could be differed by variable virulence reactions on cereal hosts and indicator plants. The SBCMV infects rye, triticale and wheat but not barley. The SBWMV is able to contaminate beside these cultures barley too. Both viruses are distinguished in the infection typ in Nicotiana benthamiana. Whereas SBCMV isolates spread out in the whole plant and cause yellowing and the die back of plants, the SBWMV infects the inoculated leaves only.     

The importance of non‐penetrated papillae formation in the resistance response of triticale to powdery mildew (Blumeria graminis)

Triticale is the intergeneric hybrid between wheat and rye. With the expansion of the triticale growing area, powdery mildew has emerged and become a significant disease on this new host. Recent research demonstrated that this ‘new’ powdery mildew on triticale has emerged through a host range expansion of powdery mildew of wheat. Moreover, isolates sampled from triticale still infect their previous host, wheat, but isolates sampled from wheat hardly infect triticale. Race‐specific and adult‐plant resistance have been identified in triticale cultivars. The main objective of this study was to characterize the cellular basis of powdery mildew resistance in triticale. Commonalities with resistance responses in other cereals such as wheat, barley and oat are discussed. A detailed comparative histological study of various resistance responses during cross‐inoculation of either virulent or avirulent wheat and triticale isolates on both hosts was carried out. The present data provide evidence that for incompatible interactions, the formation of non‐penetrated papillae is the predominant resistance response, while the hypersensitive response (HR) acts as a second line of defence, to cut the fungus off from nutrients, if penetration resistance fails. It is not clear yet what causes the slower growth and reduced colony size of triticale isolates when inoculated on wheat. Possibly, post‐penetration resistance mechanisms, other than HR, are switched on during these (semi‐) compatible interactions. Molecular studies on gene expression and gene function of defence‐related genes might reveal further insights into the genetic basis of these resistance responses.     

Sensitivity of fungi from cereal roots to fluquinconazole and their suppressiveness towards take-all on plants with or without fluquinconazole seed treatment in a controlled environment

The take-all fungus, Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici , was highly sensitive to fluquinconazole ( in-vitro EC₅₀ 0·016–0·018 mg L⁻¹), a fungicide developed for use as a seed treatment to control take-all, and to prochloraz (EC₅₀ 0·006 mg L⁻¹). Fungi of other genera that were commonly isolated from cereal roots were sensitive in varying degrees to prochloraz but were relatively insensitive (e.g. Fusarium culmorum , EC₅₀ > 20 mg L⁻¹) or slightly sensitive (e.g. Epicoccum purpurascens , EC₅₀ 0·514 mg L⁻¹) to fluquinconazole. Gaeumannomyces graminis var. graminis and G. cylindrosporus , weak parasites that can protect roots against take-all, and an unnamed Phialophora sp., all closely related to the take-all fungus, were highly or moderately sensitive to fluquinconazole. Alternaria infectoria and E. purpurascens were most consistently effective in suppressing development of take-all on pot-grown wheat plants dual-inoculated with G. graminis var. tritici and the nonpathogen. Take-all was decreased more on dual-inoculated wheat plants grown from seed treated with fluquinconazole or fluquinconazole plus prochloraz than when only an antagonistic fungus ( A. infectoria , E. purpurascens , Fusarium culmorum or Idriella bolleyi ) or a seed treatment was applied. These fungi were less effective in combination with seed treatments on barley. Gaeumannomyces graminis var. graminis and G. cylindrosporus , tested on wheat, suppressed take-all only in the absence of fungicides. It is suggested that the performance of seed treatment containing fluquinconazole against take-all may in some circumstances be enhanced by its partial specificity for the take-all fungus.     

我国几种禾谷类植物上Xanthomonas campestris致病变种的研究

 从我国新疆、内蒙、西藏、北京和山东等省区的小麦、大麦、野黑麦、冰草、偃麦草和雀麦上分离到13个黑颖病菌株,在苗期、分蘖期和孕穗期,喷雾接种16属27种禾本科植物,对其中感病的6属15种植物和燕麦又做注射接种。根据各个菌株对小麦、大麦、黑麦、冰草、偃麦草和雀麦的致病性差异,初步将其划分三个致病变种:1.禾谷类致病变种[X.campestris pv.cerealis (Hagborg) Dye.]:包括7个菌株,自然条件下发生在冰草、雀麦和偃麦草上;人工接种还可侵染小麦、大麦和黑麦。2.小麦致病变种(X.campestris pv.undulosa):包括4个菌株,自然条件下发生在小麦上,人工接种可侵染大麦和黑麦,但有一个菌株注射接种能轻度侵染雀麦。3.大麦致病变种(X.campestris pv.hordei):包括2个菌株,自然条件下发生在大麦上,注射接种能轻度侵染偃麦草。13个菌株喷雾接种猫尾草、早熟禾、画眉草、马唐、狗尾草、稗草、披碱草、羊茅草和水稻、均不侵染。     

STUDIES ON THE GROWTH OF SEEDLINGS OF AGROPYRON REPENS (L.) BEAUV AND AGROSTIS GIGANTEA ROTH.

Summary. The growth of seedlings of Agropyron repens (L.) Beauv. and Agrostis gigantea Roth, in pots was studied in two experiments in 1968 and 1969. In Experiment 1 their growth was compared with that of wheat and in Experiment 2 they were grown in sandy loam (Woburn) and silt loam (Rothamsted) soil at four levels of nitrogen. Both species grew faster than wheat, mainly because they had a larger leaf area ratio. Tillering began earlier in wheat, but continued longer in the grasses, which eventually had many more shoots. Ears emerged in the order: wheat before Agropyron before Agrostis. Although Agrostis had much lighter seeds than Agropyron, it grew faster, but Agropyron initiated rhizomes sooner, usually when it had 1–2 tillers and 4 leaves. Agrostis did not initiate rhizomes until it had at least 10 tillers and 6 leaves. In Experiment 2 the seedlings at first grew more in Woburn than in Rothamsted soil but later more in Rothamsted than in Woburn soil. There was no evidence of a species/soil interaction but nitrogen had more effect on both species in Woburn than in Rothamsted soil. Neither soil type nor nitrogen affected the time at which rhizomes were initiated. Etude de la croissance de plantules d'Agropyron repens (L.) Beauv. et d'Agrostis gigantea Roth. Résumé. La croissance de plantules A'Agropyron repens (L.) Beauv. et d'Agrostis gigantea Roth, cultivdes en pots a étéétudiée au cours de deux expériences en 1968 et 1969. Dans la premiére experience, leur croissance fut compareée à celle du blé et dans une seconde experiénce, ces deux espéces furent cultivées sur un sol sablo-limoneux (Woburn) et sur un sol argilo-limoneux (Rothamsted) á quatre niveaux d'azote. Les deux mauvaises herbes poussérent plus vite que le blé, principalement en raison de leur rapport plus éalevé de surface foliaire. Le tallage commenga plus tot chez le bié, mais se poursuivit plus longtemps chez les deux mauvaises herbes qui, en fin de compte, eurent plus de tiges. L'épiaison se produisit dans l'ordre suivant: bléa, Agropyron, Agrostis. Bien que I'Agrostis ait des semences plus petites que I'Agropyron, il poussa plus vite, mais I'Agropyron émit des rhizomes plus tôt, habituellement au stade 1 à 2 talles et 4 feuilles. L'Agrostis n'émit pas de rhizome avant d'atteindre au moins le stade 10 talles et 6 feuilles. Dans la deuxième experience, les plantules poussérent d'abord plus dans le sol de Woburn que dans celui de Rothamsted mais, plus tard, plus dans le sol de Rothamsted que dans Celui de Woburn. II ne fut pas décelé d'interaction entre le sol et les espéces, mais I'azote fit un effet plus marqué sur les deux espéces dans le sol de Woburn que dans celui de Rothamsted. Ni le type de sol, ni le niveau d'azote n'eurent d'influence sur l'époque à laquelle les rhizomes commencérent de croître. Untersuchungen zum Wachstum von Keirnpjlanzen von Agropyron repens (L.) Beauv. Und Agrostis gigantea Roih. Zusammenfassung. Das Wachstum von Keimpfianzen von Agropyron repens (L.) Beauv. und Agrostis gigantea Roth, in Töpfen wurde 1968 und 1969 in zwei Versuchen untersucht. In Versuch II wurde das Wachstum mit dem von Weizen verglichen. In Versuch II wurden sie in sandigen Lehmboden (Woburn) und Silt-Lehm-(Rothamsted) Boden bei vier Stickstoffstufen angezogen. Beide Arten wuchsen in erster Linie wegen ihres grösseren Blattflächenanteils schneller als Weizen. Die Bestockung begann fruher bei Weizen, zog sich jedoch bei den Gräsern, die schliesslich wesentlich mehr Halme hatten, langer hin. Ahrenschieben erfolgte am frühesten bei Weizen, dann bei Agropyron und schliesslich bei Agrostis. Obgleich Agrostis viel leichtere Samen hatte als Agropyron, wuchs es schneller, doch entwickelte Agropyron fruher Rhizome, nornialerweise bei 1–2 Bestockungstriebe und 4 Blättern. Agrostis entwickelte Rhizome nicht ehe es mindestens 10 Bestockungstriebe und 6 Blätter hatte. In Versuch II wuchsen die Keimpflanzen zunächst besser in Woburn- als in Rothamsted-Boden, später wieder besser in Rothamsted als in Woburn-Boden. Es gab keine Anhalts-punkte für eine Interaktion zwisehen den Arten und dem Boden, doch wirkte Stickstoff bei beiden Arten besser in Woburn- als in Rothamsted-Boden. Weder Bodentyp noch Stickstoffmenge beeinflussten den Beginn der Rhizombfldung.     

Susceptibility of winter and summer crops to root and crown infection by Bipolaris sorokiniana

The susceptibility of 24 winter and 17 summer crops to infection by Bipolaris sorokiniana was tested in a glasshouse experiment by growing them in soil amended with wheat-barley grain colonized by B. sorokiniana (0.2 g per 100 g soil). At anthesis, infection of both lesioned and randomly selected segments of roots and of crowns was determined by plating them on modified Czapek-Dox Agar. Incidence of infection in winter crops was higher than in summer crops. Guar, mung bean, soybean and sunflower were the least infected of the summer crops while chickpeas and safflower were the least infected of the winter crops. Amongst the taxonomic groups tested, the highest incidence of infection occurred in the gramineous species and the lowest in the leguminous species.
Five summer crops growing in the field were sampled and infection by B. sorokiniana confirmed. Cultivars of wheat, barley, triticale and oats were also screened in a field experiment. Amongst these winter cereals, oats was the least susceptible in both field and glasshouse experiments. Differences between cultivars in susceptibility to common root rot, measured by the degree of lesion development in the subcrown internode, were identified in wheat, triticale and oats but not in barley.