Influence of Temperature on Pathogenicity of Pythium volutum Toward Creeping Bentgrass

Symptoms of Pythium root dysfunction (PRD) in creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera) are most common in the summer during periods of heat and drought stress. However, recent observations in North Carolina indicate that Pythium volutum, a causal agent of PRD, is most active during the fall and spring. Soil temperature thresholds for this pathogen are needed so that preventive fungicide applications can be timed accurately. A mycelial growth assay was performed by incubating 11 P. volutum isolates at 10 temperatures ranging from 10 to 31°C. To determine the optimal temperature range for infection by P. volutum, five isolates of P. volutum were used to inoculate 5-week-old 'Penn A-1' creeping bentgrass plants. Inoculated plants were transferred to growth chambers at constant 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, or 32°C (12-h day/night cycles) for 4 weeks to permit root infection, then the temperature in all chambers was increased to 32/26°C day/night to induce foliar symptoms. P. volutum grew most rapidly in vitro when temperatures were between 18 and 26°C. Typical PRD foliar symptoms developed in the 12, 16, 20, and 24°C treatments 2 weeks after the temperature was elevated to 32/26°C day/night. Disease severity was greatest when plants were incubated at 16°C after inoculation. Reductions in root depth and/or root mass were observed prior to raising the temperature to 32/26°C in the 12, 16, and 20°C temperature treatments. Once exposed to 4 weeks of heat treatment, extensive root dieback occurred in the 12, 16, 20, and 24°C treatments. These results demonstrate that P. volutum is most active at temperatures prevalent during the fall and spring in North Carolina, supporting the hypothesis that the majority of root infection occurs during this time and that fungicides should be applied when soil temperatures are between 12 and 24°C to achieve preventative control of PRD symptoms in the summer.