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An Inoculation Apparatus for Evaluation of Bipolaris sorokiniana Lesion Development on Progressively Older Leaves of Poa pratensis. Philip W. Robinson, Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Horticulture, Iowa State University, Ames 50011; Clinton F. Hodges, Professor of Horticulture and Botany and Plant Pathology, Department of Horticulture, Iowa State University, Ames 50011. Phytopathology 66:360-362. Accepted for publication 22 September 1975. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-66-360.

A method of inoculating progressively older leaves of individual shoots of Poa pratensis with Bipolaris sorokiniana was developed. This facilitated evaluation of lesion development and disease severity. Lesion numbers were based on leaf area measurements, and different lesion types were used to quantify disease severity. The third youngest leaf of a shoot was least susceptible to infection and its disease severity rating was lower than that of other leaves. Lesion development and disease severity were greatest on the oldest inoculated leaves. This technique should expedite the study of leaf age-facultative parasite interactions.