On the identities of the Grassmann algebras in characteristicp>0

In this note we exhibit bases of the polynomial identities satisfied by the Grassmann algebras over a field of positive characteristic. This allows us to answer the following question of Kemer: Does the infinite dimensional Grassmann algebra with 1, over an infinite fieldK of characteristic 3, satisfy all identities of the algebraM ₂(K) of all 2×2 matrices overK? We give a negative answer to this question. Further, we show that certain finite dimensional Grassmann algebras do give a positive answer to Kemer's question. All this allows us to obtain some information about the identities satisfied by the algebraM ₂(K) over an infinite fieldK of positive odd characteristic, and to conjecture bases of theidentities ofM ₂(K).