Pythium damping-off (Pythium spp.)

Pythium damping-off: biology

Pythium inhabits agricultural soil around the world and can infect a wide range of hosts. All spring and winter wheat, and barley is susceptible.

Pythium can survive in the soil and on plant residues fo rfive or more years. Wheat plants deficient in phosphorus, grown in compacted, wet soils and in continuous wheat cropping systems are the most susceptinble to damping-off.

Young roots develop soft, wet, tan-brown areas at or near their tips. Tends to develop in patches rather than being generally distributed throughout the field. Diseased plants have fewer tillers, poor root growth, are often delayed in maturity, and yield less.