|Water mould - Phytophthora forms: A: Sporangia. B: Zoospore. C: Chlamydospore. D: Oospore|
J. Schröt., 1893
Pythiaceae is a family of water moulds. The family includes plant pathogenic fungus-like organisms in the genus Phytophthora; as well as serious plant and animal pathogens in the genus Pythium. The family was circumscribed by German mycologist Joseph Schröter in 1893.
- Live on land (terrestrial), and in water (aquatic), and a combination of the two, (amphibious)
- Live as deadly parasites, causing some serious plant and animal diseases when terrestrial.
- The diploid (2N) life stage predominates, with a short haplophase initiated during sexual reproduction as well as asexual reproduction (homothallism predominates in the Family) to fuse gametes.
- The sporangia may germinate via a germ tube or by release of motile zoospores, depending on the species and the environmental conditions.
- Some Pythium species cause "damping-off" diseases in young plants (seedlings).
- C.J. Alexopolous, Charles W. Mims, M. Blackwell et al., Introductory Mycology, 4th ed. (John Wiley and Sons, Hoboken NJ, 2004) ISBN 0-471-52229-5
|This plant disease article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.|