Sclerotia ofSclerotinia sclerotiorum(Lib.) de Bary buried in a heavy clay soil at 15 °C germinated over a range of moisture levels from 15% to 50%. A method of germinating sclerotia held at constant matric water potentials was tested. Sclerotia were placed in soil in bags of a semipermeable membrane; the bags were immersed in solutions of polyethylene glycol 20 000.Germination occurred between 0 and −7.5 bars but not at lower potentials.