The Occurrence of Chalara elegans

SUMMARYSoil was assayed for Chalara elegans by app!ying field soil or plant roots to the surface of slices from commercially-washed carrots and incubating these dry in closed Petri dishes. This “dry” method is considered superior to previous methods, especially in reducing bacterial contamination and in speed. Chalara elegans was abundantly associated with the roots of species of Betula, Daucus, Epilobium, Geranium, Hypochoeris, Ilex, Prunus, Ribes, and other plants growing wild or in agriculture, in the absence of apparent disease, but most collections were free of the fungus. It was also present on the roots of potted plants and on the leaves of some outdoor plants. Even including cases where it was a pathogen, C. elegans was about as abundant in some virgin areas as in cultivated soils.