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<DIV>APWG:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>About six weeks ago I posted a question about whether anyone had noticed a
disease killing Japanese stiltgrass, Microstegium vimineum.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The response and number of questions posted was very interesting and the
hope among resource managers and ecological researchers has been both palpable
and exciting.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Results are in from samples of diseased Japanese stiltgrass that were sent
to labs in Indiana, West Virginia and Maryland. All agree that the
pathogen killing stiltgrass is a fungus in the family, Bipolaris. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>There are scientists and other participants in the APWG list that can
probably delve into a discussion of Bipolaris and the range of concerns from its
potential as a biocontrol agent to its relationship to some extremely serious
diseases of certain food crops. All sorts of issues related to
Bipolaris have already come to light that are far beyond the traditional
training for a dirt forester like me but I would enjoy such a discussion.
</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Although I am extremely excited to see anything killing Japanese stiltgrass
I am also concerned about some areas of severe mortality I witnessed in native
woodland plants about the same time I was documenting all the problems and
health issues that stiltgrass was having.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><IMG SRC="cid:X.MA1.1255020537@aol.com" style="WIDTH: 480px; HEIGHT: 320px" vspace=5 width=480 height=320 comp_state="speed" DATASIZE="36317" ID="MA1.1255020537" ></DIV>
<DIV>Purple spots and lesions appeared on the leaves of a number of species of
woodland grasses that were similar in appearance to those that were developing
on diseased stiltgrass plants.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Below is a link to a research paper that briefly mentions
Microstegium. The link was provided by </DIV>
<DIV>Dave McCann at WVU</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><A title=http://www.invasiveplants.net/monitor/28CogonGrass.aspx href="http://www.invasiveplants.net/monitor/28CogonGrass.aspx">http://www.invasiveplants.net/monitor/28CogonGrass.aspx</A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Russ Richardson, Certified Forester</DIV>
<DIV>Crummies Creek Tree Farm</DIV>
<DIV>PO Box 207</DIV>
<DIV>Arnoldsburg, WV 25234</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><A href="mailto:forestruss@aol.com">forestruss@aol.com</A></DIV>
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