Laborartory 2: Discussion

1. Phialides are conidiogenous cells in which the meristematic end remains

unchanged as successive conidia are extruded out to form chains. They look

similar to a bottle with little round balls on top. Aspergillus and Peniciulium

have phialides in their fungal structure.

2. Downy mildew is a destructive disease that affects the grapevines of grape-

growing plants. The pathogen responsible for this disease is Plasmopara

viticola. “[It] produces asexual, biflagellate zoospores and sexual oospores. Its

mycelium is aseptate. Other important downy mildew pathogens that belong

to this group include species within the

genera Bremia, Peronosporaand Sclerospora.” The affects of this pathogen

decrease wine production, which is a cash crop for part of the economy.

3. It is an oomycete in the order Peronosporales.

4. There are many differences between oomycetes and “true fungi.” Oomycetes

are diploid while “true fungi” are haploid. Oomycetes have a cell wall

consisting of beta glycans and cellulose while true fungi cell wall are mainly

made of chitin. Oomycetes usually do not have cell walls between adjacent

cells because they are coenocytic.

5. The sporagiopores in oomycetes are specialized hypha that bare sporangium.

“In Aphanomyces, sporangia are filamentous and resemble vegetative hyphae.

In Peronospora and other genera causing downy mildews, sporangiophores

are branched and tree-like, with a single sporangium at the tip of each

branch, and are often found emerging from the stomates.”

6. The sporangium of an oomycete produces asexual structures or spores which

can be released and spread to another organism.

7. Under a “blister” of a leaf infected with Albugp, I would expect to see clusters

of sporangia that are getting ready to rupture and release sporangia.