Occurrence of Stem Rot of Disporum smilacinum Caused by Sclerotium rolfsii in Korea

In 2005 and 2007, a basal stem rot of Disporum smilacinum caused by Sclerotium rolfsii occurred sporadically in a herb farm at Hamyang, Korea. The symptom initiated with water-soaking lesion and progressed into stem rot and wilt of a whole plant. Severely infected plants were blighted and died eventually. White mycelial mats appeared on the lesion at early stage and a number of sclerotia were formed on the stem near the soil line. The sclerotia were globoid in shape, 1-3 mm in size and white to brown in color. The optimum temperature for the growth and sclerotia formation was 30 on PDA and the hyphal width was measured $3-8{\mu}m$. The typical clamp connections were observed in the hyphae of the fungus grown on PDA. On the basis of symptom, mycological characteristics and pathogenicity to the host plant, this fungus was identified as Sclerotium rolfsii Saccardo. This is the first report on the stem rot of D. smilacinum caused by S. rolfsii in Korea.