Use of 14C-labelled wheat tissue to demonstrate saprophytic growth of Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici in soil

Abstract

A combination of autoradiographic and liquid scintillation counting methods were used to detect and trace metabolic activity of Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici during growth through soil. The pathogen was shown to be capable of combative migration through soil and to have grown saprophytically on organic residues present in natural soil.