Occurrence Dollar Spot Caused by Sclerotinia homoeocarpa in Turfgrass of Golf Course in Korea

한국 골프장에서 Sclerotinia homoeocarpa에 의한 잔디동전마름병의 발생

In 1997, a new disease on creeping bentgrass and Kentucky bluegrass occurred in the green and fairway of a few golf courses in Korea. The disease spread gradually throughout the country and became a threat to turfgrass management. Symptoms of the disease consisted of small, circular, and sunken patches sized 3~5cm in diameter. The disease named as a dollar spot following its characteristic symptoms of circular blight and bleach on the green. The disease peaked two times in a year from April to June and from late August to October and white cottony mycelia of the causal fungus developed on diseased turfs in the early morning when the conditions were favored. A causal fungus was consistently isolated from the infected tufgrass and seven isolates originated from seven golf courses located in six provinces were selected for further study. The fungus produced abundant white aerial mycelia on PDA and turned to dark gray or light brown as it aged. Width of the mycelium was ca. $5~8\mu\textrm{m}$. While sclerotia were not readily formed on the medium, scattered small and dark colored stromata were developed on the surface. The fungus grew well on PDA between 5 to $30^{\circ}C$ and maximally around $25^{\circ}C$. Based on investigated mycological and cultural characteristics, the causal agent of dollar spot was identified as Sclerotinia homoeocarpa. The fungus showed strong pathogenicity to several turfs as creeping bentgrass, Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, tall fescues, and zoysiagrass.