| Abstract: | The pathogenicity of Colletotrichum dematium was evaluated as the agent causing post-emergence damping-off of current-year beech (Fagus crenata) seedlings. Current-year beech seedlings inoculated with C. dematium died within 20 days after both wound and non-wound inoculation, indicating that this fungus is pathogenic to current-year seedlings. C. dematium was frequently isolated from hypocotyls exhibiting damping-off at five different sites. The incidence of isolation was high and little variation occurred between sites and years. C. dematium was also detected in all litter samples examined although the incidence of detection differed depending on sites and/or detection methods. These results strongly indicate that C. dematium plays an important role in rapid seedling death during the early stages of beech regeneration. |
