Stem and Crown Rot of Chickpea in California Caused by Sclerotinia trifoliorum.

The identities of Sclerotinia isolates obtained from chickpea plants showing stem and crown rot were determined using morphological characteristics, variations in group I introns, and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences. Isolates could be separated into two groups based on growth rates at 22°C, fast growing (about 40 mm per day) versus slow growing (about 20 mm per day). All fast-growing isolates induced stronger color change of a pH-indicating medium than did slow-growing isolates at 22°C.