VIEW ARTICLE

Basidiospore Infection of Cotton Bolls by Thanatephorus cucumeris. William J. Luke, Associate Professor, Department of Botany, La. State University, Baton Rouge 70803; J. A. Pinckard(2), and Sy-ying C. Wang(3). (2)(3)Professor and formerly Postdoctoral Fellow, respectively, Department of Plant Pathology, La. State University, Baton Rouge 70803. Phytopathology 64:107-111. Accepted for publication 24 July 1973. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-64-107.

Basidiospores of Thanatephorus cucumeris are capable of germinating on and penetrating the epidermis of cotton bolls and bracts, causing disease. Penetration took place through stomata and through the epidermis by infection pegs beneath cushions of mycelia. The latter were commonly found to have penetrated through the thin-walled accessory cells surrounding the stomata.