Texas Root Rot Fungal Mat

It is one of the most destructive plant diseases and attacks more than 2 000 species.

Texas root rot fungal mat. What is texas root rot. As you may guess cotton a common crop that is grown in north texas is very susceptible to. It is diagnosed by looking for fungal strands that are visible on the outer surfaces of the roots and under the root bark. It is a soil borne fungus that attacks the roots of susceptible plants.

The mats appear off white or tan and are level with the soil surface. Texas root rot spreads by root contact. Cotton root rot caused by the fungus phymatotrichum omnivorum also is known by several other names such as phymatotrichum root rot texas root rot and ozonium root rot. Texas root rot affects over 2000 species of.

By then unfortunately the damage has already been done. The reason that root rot is so hard to detect in a timely manner is that it is developing underground out of sight. Texas root rot phymatotrichopsis omnivora. Despite the name root rot gardeners usually spot signs of the disease in the plant s leaves not its roots.

Its typically found in alkaline soils lacking organic matter and quickly kills plants. Phymatotrichum root rot also known as cotton root rot or texas root rot is caused by the soil borne fungus phymatotrichopsis omnivorum. A diseased root comes into contact with a healthy root and if the healthy root is from a susceptible plant that plant becomes infected. Of all diseases known to occur on broadleafed plants this is one of the most destructive and difficult to control.

Texas root rot also known as phymatotrichopsis root rot phymatotrichum root rot cotton root rot or in the older literature ozonium root rot is a pathogen fairly common in mexico and the southwestern united states that causes sudden wilt and death of affected plants usually during the warmer months it is a soil borne fungus of the species phymatotrichopsis omnivora that attacks the. This is a soilborne fungus that lay dormant in the soil for many years. One disease that has over 2 300 host species 1 800 dicots is known as phymatotrichopsis omnivora also referred to as cotton root rot texas root rot and ozonia root rot. How to identify root rot.

Fungal spore mats may or may not be present on the soil surface near the infected plant. Surface spore mats are sterile and the disease is not known to spread above ground. The texas a m university system. This fungal disease is also known as phymatotrichum root rot texas root rot and ozonium root rot it is caused by one of the most destructive fungal plant disease organisms phymatotrichum omnivorum that can attack more than 2 000 species of plants however monocotyledonous plants grasses etc have field resistance.

Published originally as taex l 2056 november 1982. It causes sudden wilt and death of affected plants usually during the warmer months.