A three-Domain System

BACTERIA ARCHAE- E U K A R Y A
(EUBACTERIA BACTERIA

PROTISTA PLANTAE FUNGI ANIMALIA

 General Characteristics of Bacteria

Biggest group of prokaryotic microorganisms that

cause plant diseases.

1. Typically one-celled, possess a unit membrane

and a rigid cell wall

2. Reproduce by binary fission

3. Lack a nuclear membrane and a well-defined
nucleus. Their nuclear material consists of DNA
which may appear in the cell as circular,
ellipsoidal or dumbbell-shaped.

4. Gene transfer –
* transformation – uptake & expression of
additional genetic material

* transduction - bacteriophage

*conjugation - donor cell to a repient

Plasmids - extracellular, closed, circular genetic
components.

These extracellular self-replicating units can

be integrated into the bacterial chromosome and
replicated with it.

determinants
* drug resistance
* phage resistance
* UV resistance
* survival in secondary habitats
* pathogenesis
Shapes of Bacteria

- spherical (cocci)

- rod-shaped (bacilli)

- spiral-shaped (spirilla).

They may occur - single cells, in couples,

- in chains or in clusters.

They possess flagella - organ of locomotion

Type of Flagella Attachment

Monotrichous - a single flagellum is

attached
at one end

Amphitrichous - one or more flagella at each

end

Lopotrichous - two or more flagella are

located at one end of the bacterial cell

Peritrichous - flagella are scattered all over

(around) the cell surface

Atrichous - no flagella
Characteristics of Plant pathogenic Bacteria
1. Most plant pathogenic bacteria are rod-shaped

Except: Coryneforms (Corynebactecterium,

Clavebacter, Rhodococcus,
Curtobacterium,
Arthrobacter, Rathayibacter)

Streptomyces
Filamentous
Nocardia
2. Most have cell walls (peptidoglycan layer)

* slime layer
* capsule

Except: Spiroplasma

3. Most are motile

Except: Erwinia Stewartii – non- motile

4. Most are gram-negative
Except: Coryneforms – gram variable

Streptomyces
Nocardia gram +
Spiroplasma
5. Non- spore former
Except: Bacillus
Clostridium

6. Mostly aerobic

Except: Erwinia – facultative anaerobic

Clostridium - anaerobic
 BACTERIAL TAXONOMY

1.TRADITIONAL METHOD

*Morphological
*Cultural
*Biochemical
*Physiological
*Pathological characteristics

Disadvantage: No phylogenetic relationship

established
 BACTERIAL TAXONOMY

NUMERICAL TAXONOMY- based on overall

similarity of a wide range of
phenotypic chas.
- fed into a computer program
- positve and negative
- similarity and matching indices
are calculated
- determination of the level of
similarity needed for designation
of species or genus often
depends on the investigator.
Molecular Taxonomy – based on DNA parameters

- relatedness of DNA from various

bacterial strains

1. DNA base composition- expressed in %

guanine and cytosine

2. DNA-DNA homology – complementarity of

sequences of the bases (A, T, G and C
between DNA molecules of different
isolates
3. DNA-rRNA homology- detect similarities
between genera or families
(DNA from unknown bacteria
hybridized with C-labeled
ribosomal RNA from a known
reference bacterium)

4. RFLP – (Restriction Fragment-Length

polymorphism) used in strain
identification
- DNA treated with restriction enzymes
that fragment the DNA
- The fragments are hybridized with
labeled DNA probes
Restriction enzymes – a group of enzymes from
bacteria which break internal bonds of
DNA at higly specific points

5. rRNA analysis, polypeptide analysis and

fatty acid composition
2. Use of isozyme (enzymes with the same
function but may be chemically different
patterns as differential markers for
grouping of bacterial strains

3. Comparison of the cellular and enzyme protein

profiles of various isolates

4. Bacteriophages- which lyze specific bacteria

5. Serological techniques- determining

relationships among bacteria
 CURRENT LIST OF GENERA OF PLANT
PATHOGENIC BACTERIA (2000)

1. Acetobacter 11. Curtobacterium 21.Rhizobacter

2. Acidovorax 12. Enterobacter 22.Sphingomonas
(Rhizomonas)
3. Agrobacterium 13. Erwinia 23. Rhodococcus
4. Arthrobacter 14. Gluconobacter 24. Serratia
5. Bacillus 15. Nocardia 25. Spiroplasma
6. Brenneria 16. Pantoea 26. Streptomyces
7. Burkholderia 17.Pectobacterium 27. Xanthomonas
8. Clavibacter 18. Pseudomonas 28. Xylella
9. Clostridium 19 Ralstonia 29. Xylophilus
10. Corynebacterium 20. Rathayibacter
 Table 1. Updated names of bacterial pathogens and the
diseases they cause in the Philippines (Natural, 2000)

New Name of Causal Bacterium Disease

(Former name/names)
Acetobacter aceti Pink disease of pineapple
Acidovorax avenae subsp. avenae Leaf stripe of corn
(Pseudomonas rubrilineans)
Acidovorax avenae subsp. cattleya Brown rot of cattleya
(Pseudomonas cattleya)
Agrobacterium tumefaciens Crown gall of roses
Burkholderia andropogonis Leaf stripe of corn and sorghum
(Pseudomonas andropogonis) Leaf spot of bougainvillea

Burkholderia caryophilli Wilt of chrysanthemum

(Pseudomonas caryophilli)
Burkholderia cepacia Bulb rot of onions
(Pseudomonas cepacia)
Burkholderia gladioli pv. alliicola Bulb rot of onions
(Pseudomonas gladioli pv alliicola)

Burkholderia gladioli pv. gladioli Bulb rot of gladiolus

(Pseudomonas gladioli)
Burkholderia glumae Seed rot of rice
(Pseudomonas glumae)
Burkholderia woodsii Bacterial spot of carnation
(Pseudomonas woodsii)
Clavibacter xyli subsp. xyli Ratoon stunting disease of
sugarcane
Enterobacter dissolvens Stalk rot of corn
(Erwinia dissolvens)
Erwinia aroideae (invalid) Black leg of tobacco
Erwinia caricae (invalid) Crown rot of papaya
Erwinia caricapapayae (invalid)
Erwinia tracheiphila Bacterial wilt of cucurbits
Gluconobacter oxydans Pink disease of pineapple
Pantoea ananatis Fruitlet of pineapple
(Erwinia ananas)
Pantoea stewaartii subsp. stewartii Bacterial wilt of corn
(Erwinia stewartii)
Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. Potato black leg
atrosepticum
(Erwinia carotovora subsp
atrosepticum)
Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. Soft rot of vegetables
carotovorum
(Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora)
Pectobacterium chrysanthemi pv. Foot rot of rice, stem
chrysanthemi rot of
(Erwinia chrysanthemi pv. chrysanthemi ) chrysanthemum
Pectobacterium chrysanthemi pv. zeae Stalk rot of corn
Pseudomonas alboprecipitans (invalid) Leaf stip of corn
Pseudomonas fuscovaginae Seed rot of rice
Pseudomonas savastoni subsp. glycinea
(Pseudomonas syringae pv. glycinea) Blight of soybeans
Pseudomonas glycinea)
Pseudomonas savastoni subsp. phaseolicola
(Pseudomonas syringae pv. phaseolicola) Halo blight of beans
Pseudomonas phaseolicola)
Pseudomonas syringae pv. mori
(Pseudomonas mori)
Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae
syringae
(Pseudomonas syringae)
Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci
(Pseudomonas tabaci)
Pseudomonas tectonae
Ralstonia solanacearum
(Burkholderia solanacearum)
(Pseudomonas solanacearum)
Streptomyces scabies
Streptomyces ipomeae
Leaf spot of mulberry
Blast or black pit of citrus
Tobacco wildfire disease or
leafspot of tobacco
Bacterial wilt of teak
Bacterial wilt of
solanaceous and non-
solanaceous crops
Potato scab
Sweet potato scab
Xanthomonas albilineans Red stipe of sugarcane
Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri
(Xanthomonas citri) Citrusn canker
(Xanthomonas campestris pv. citri)
Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. dieffenbachiaae
(Xanthomonas campestris pv. dieffenbachiaae) Bacterial blight of
(Xanthomonas dieffenbachiaae) anthurium

Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. malvacearum

(Xanthomonas campestris pv. malvacearum ) Boll rot, leaf blight or
(Xanthomonas malvacearum) spot of cotton
Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. manihotis Cassava leaf blight
(Xanthomonas campestris pv. manihotis)
Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. phaseoli
(Xanthomonas campestris pv. phaseoli) Blight of lima beans
(Xanthomonas phaseoli)
Xanthomonas axonopodis pv.
vignaeradiatae Leaf spot of mungbean
(Xanthomonas campestris pv.
vignaeradiatae)
(Xanthomonas vignaeradiatae)
Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. vignicola
(Xanthomonas campestris pv. vignicola) Leaf spot of cowpea
(Xanthomonas vignicola)

Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. Leaf spot or blight of

poinsettiicola poinsettia
(Xanthomonas campestris pv.
poinsettiicola)
Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris
(Xanthomonas campestris) Black rot of crucifers
Xanthomonas campestris pv.
mangiferaindicae Leaf spot of mango
(Xanthomonas mangiferaindicae)
(Bacillus mangiferae)- invalid
Xanthomonas campestris pv. nepheliae – Vein necrosis of rambutan
in valid
(Xanthomonas nepheliae)- invalid
Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria Leaf spot of tomato and
(Xanthomonas vesicatoria) pepper
Xanthomonas campestris pv. Rhizome rot of zinger
zingerbericola
(Xanthomonas zingerbericola)
Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae
(Xanthomonas campestris pv. oryzae) Bacterial leaf blight of rice
(Xanthomonas oryzae)
Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola
(Xanthomonas campestris pv. oryzicola) Bacterial leaf streak of rice
(Xanthomonas oryzicola)
(Xanthomonas translucens)
Xanthomonas sacchari Gumnosis of sugarcane
(Xanthomonas vasculorum)

Xanthomonas vasicola pv. holcicola Leaf streak of sorghum

(Xanthomonas holcicola)

Xanthomonas vesicatoria Leaf spot of pepper

(distinct from Xanthomonas campestris
pv. vesicatoria)
Comparative Characteristics of Gram-Positive and Gram-
Negative Bacteria

Characteristic Gram-positive Gram-negative

Gram reaction Retain crystal violet Can be decolorized to
dye and stain dark accept counterstain
violet or purple (safranin); stain red
Peptidoglycan layer Thick (multilayered) Thin (single-layered)
Teichoic acids Present in many Absent
Periplasmic space Absent Present
Outer membrane Absent Present
Lipopolysaccharide Virtually none High
(LPS) content
Characteristic Gram-positive Gram-negative
Lipid and lipoprotein Low (acid-fast High (due to presence of
content bacteria have lipids outer membrane)
linked to
peptidoglycan)
Flagellar structure 2 rings in basal body 4 rings in basal body
Toxins produced Primarily exotoxins Primarily endotoxins
Resistance to physical High Low
disruption
Inhibition by basic dyes High Low
Susceptibility to anionic High Low
detergents
Resistance to sodium High Low
azide
Resistance to drying High Low
 TYPES OF CULTURE MEDIA
TYPE PURPOSE
Chemically Growth of chemoautotrophs and
defined photoautotrophs, and microbiological assays.
Complex Growth of most chemoheterotrophic
organisms.
Reducing Growth of obligate anaerobes.
Selective Suppression of unwanted microbes;
encouraging desired microbes.
Differential
Differentiation of colonies of desired
microbes from others.
Enrichment Similar to selective media but designed to
increase numbers of desired microbes to
detectable levels.
 Major Types of Bacterial Diseases*
Host Range Symptoms Compatible Major Incompatible
Response Virulence Response
Factors
1. Necrotic Necrotic leaf Delayed cell Toxin Clear
Diseases (Usually spots death production Hypersensitive
narrow) Stem canker (necrosis) Response (HR)
Blossom
Blight

2. Vascular Vascular wilts Long distance Extracellular Clear HR

Diseases (Often wilting polysaccharide
Wide) production in
xylem
3. Soft Rot Soft rots Tissue Cell wall HR at high
Diseases (Often maceration degradation doses
Wide)
4. Tumour Galls Uncontrolled Hormone HR not normally
Diseases (Often (hypertrophy), cell division Disturbance elicited
Wide) Hyperplasia
* Host tissue response (which relates to virulence factors), host range, symptoms and
induction of incompatible response
 Common bacterial pathogens and the diseases
they cause in the Philippines (Natural, 2000)

Acetobacter aceti – pink disease of pineapple

Agrobacterium tumefaciens – crown gall of roses

Enterobacter dissolvens - Stalk rot of corn

Pectobacterium chrysanthemi
pv. Zeae-

Erwinia tracheiphila – Bacterial wil of cucurbits

Gluconobacter oxydans – Pink disease of pineapple

Pantoea ananatis – Fruitlet of pineapple

Pantoea stewartii subsp. stewartii – Bacterial wilt of

corn
Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp.atrosepticum
- Potato black leg
Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum
- Soft rot of vegetables

Pseudomonas savastoni subsp. glycinea –

- Blight of soybeans

Pseudomonas savastoni subsp. phaseolica

- Halo blight of beans

Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci – Tobacco wildfire

disease
Ralstonia solanacearum – Bacterial wilt of
solanaceous plants

Streptomyces scabies – Potato scab

Streptomyces ipomeae – Sweet potato scab

Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri – Citrus canker

Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. dieffenbachiae –

Bacterial blight of anthurium

Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. manihotis –

Cassava leaf blight
Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris – Black
rot of crucifers

Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria – leaf

spot of tomato and pepper

Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae – Bacterial leaf

blight of rice

Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola - Bacterial leaf

streak of rice
 Control of Bacterial Diseases

1. Cultural Practices

*Sanitation
* Crop rotation
*Proper watering and drainage

2. Seed treatment – soaking in a weak acid or

sodium hypochlorite

3. Resistant varieties
 Plant Pathogenic Mollicutes (MLO)
Characteristics:
*Prokaryotic

*Lacks cell wall but have a unit plasma membrane

*Pleomorphic

*Sensitive to osmotic change

*contain both RNA and DNA

*resistant to penicillin
 Characteristics:

*Sensitive to tetracycline and chloramphenicol

*cause disease by blocking translocation in the

phloem or by interfering with plants hormonal
balance
Taxonomy:
Class : Mollicutes
Orders : Mycoplasmatales
Genera : Phytoplasma
: Spiroplasma
Phytoplasma – found in phloem
- nutritionally fastidious
- difficult to culture in artificial media
- genome size is 5 x 108 daltons
-- reproduce by budding and binary
fission
Spiroplasma – helical
relatively easy to grow
require sterols for growth
genome size is 1.0 x 109 daltons

Transmission of Mollicutes:

- insect vectors (leafhoppers, planthoppers

and psyllids)
- believed complete their life cycle in the
insect body
- transmitted mechanically by budding and
grafting
 Diseases Caused by Mollicutes
(“Yellows”)

1. Lethal yellowing of coconut trees- death of

flowers and leaves, blight

2. Citrus stubborn disease- stunting, die-back,

bunchy growth of twigs and branches,
mottling and chlorosis

3. Corn stunt – leaf chlorosis, stunting bunchy

top appearance
4. Aster yellows, mulberry dwarf and potato
witches broom
Management:

- Proper control of insect vectors

- Resistant varieties

-Mollicutes free-planting materials

- Removal of alternate host (weeds)

- Sanitation measures

- Use of tetracycline antibiotic if feasible

 FUNGAL PLANT PATHOGENS
CHARACTERISTICS:
*EUKARYOTIC

*NON-CHLOROPHYLL-BEARING
*WITH BRANCHED FILAMENTOUS
VEGETATIVE STRUCTURE (MYCELIUM)
*Some are not filamentous, thallus of
Synchytrium sp. and Saccharomycetes
which is unicellular
*HAVE CROSS WALLS (Septa) OR
CONTINUOUS (Coenocytic)
*POSSESS TRUE NUCLEI AND CELL WALLS
*PRODUCE MAINLY BY SPORES (Sexually and
Asexually)
*HERMAPHRODITIC (Produce both male and
female gametes on the same mycellium)
*HOMOTHALLIC (Male gametes can fertilize
female gametes on the same mycellium)
*HETEROTHALLIC (Male gametes can fertilize
female gametes on the different mycellium)
 CLASSIFICATION OF PLANT PATHOGENIC
FUNGI
Eleven fungal phyla - three Kingdoms
under the Domain Eukarya

Kingdom: Chromista or Stramenophila

(Pathogenic pseudofungi)
Phylum : Oomycota
Phylum : Hypochytridiomycota
Phylum : Labyrinthulomycota
Kingdom : Fungi
Phylum : Chytridiomycota
Phylum : Zygomycota
Phylum :Ascomycota
Phylum : Basidiomycota
Kingdom : Protista or Protozoa

Phylum : Plasmodiophoromycota

Phylum : Dictyosteliomycota

Phylum : Acrasiomycota

Phylum : Myxomycota
The True Fungi (Kingdom Fungi)
*No chlorophyll
*form thread-like mycelium
*Cell walls contain chitin and glucans
*Large group of microorganisms (rust,
smut, powdery mildews, wood-rotting fungi
*Some are beneficial, like edible
mushrooms (Termitomycetes,
Volvariella (Banana), Pleurotus
(Oyster), Auricularia (tainga ng daga),
The brewer’s yeast and the antibiotic-
producing penicilla
Phyllum: Chytridiomycota (have zoospores with 1
posterior flagella)
Class: Chytridiomycetes – The mycelium or thallus
has no septa
Genus: Olpidium brassicae (club root of cabbage)
-vector of lettuce big vein virus
Physoderma maydis (Brown spot of corn)
Synchytrium endobioticum (Potato wart)
- vector of potato virus x
Synchytrium dolichi (orange galls of lima
beans)
Phylum: Zygomycota – no zoospores, have asexual
spores in sporangia; produce
zygospores, non-motile sexual
resting spores
Class: Zygomycetes – (Bread mold) The mycelium
is non- septate; parasitic or saprophytic

Order: Mucorales:
Genus: Mucor (rotting of fruits and
vegetables during storage
Rhizopus nigricans, R. stolonifer
(soft rot of fruits and vegetables
Choanephora cucurbitarum – soft rot
of squash
Phylum: Ascomycota – Ascomycete or sac fungi; produce
sexual spores called ascospores (8)
Class: Archiascomycetes- diverse group put together
mainly on the basis of rDNA sequence analysis

Order: Taphrinales- asci arise from binucleate ascogenous

cells; members parasitic on
angiosperms, causing galls, blisters and
witches brooms
Class: Saccharomycetes – the yeasts, mostly unicellular,
reproduce by budding

Order: Schizosaccharomycetales- called the fission

yeasts, with naked asci (no ascocarp
formed)
Genus: Galactomyces – sour rot of citrus fruits
Class Plectomycetes

Order: Eurotiales - filamentous, with asci free on

the mycelium or in sessile or
stipitate ascocarps; ascospores are
single celled

Genus: Eurotium (Aspergillus)

Talaromyces (Penicillium)
Class: Pyrenomycetes –Perithecia present,
sometimes cleistothecia is stroma,
loose hyphal mat or free; asci are
single-walled
Order: Hypocreales- stroma pale to brightly
collored; perithecia present in most;
asci are ovoid to cylindrical with an
apical pore; ascospores spherical to
needle-like

Genus: Claviceps purpurea –ergot of rye

Gibberella- perfect stage of Fusarium
Hypocrea –teleomorph of Trichoderma
spp.
Order: Phyllachorales- Perithecia stromatic, oblong
to cylindrical. Asci, ascus tips have
pores encircled by narrow rings;
ascospores are dark or hyaline.

Genus: Glomerella- teleomorphic stage of

Colletotrichum (anthracnose)
Phyllachora graminis –parasitic on
grasses
Order:Microascales – No stroma formed, most
members have perithecia but some have
cleistothecia

Genus: Ceratocystis paradoxa – pineapple black rot

C. fimbriata –root rot of sweet potato
Order Ophiostolatales – members have perithecia,
except for one genus with cleistothecia

Genus : Ophisotoma – diseases in trees and wood

Graphium

Order: Xylariales – with dark, leathery, hard

perithecia
Genus: Rosellinia - root diseases of fruit
trees
Xylaria – tree cankers and decay of
wood

Order Diaporthales- Perithecia are produced in a

stroma
Class: Loculoascomycetes- produce asci in cavities called
locules, in a preformed stroma (ascostroma).
Asci are two-walled.

Order: Dothideales- locules open with an apical

pore; no sterile hyphae
Genus: Mycosphaerella fijiensis –black
sigatoka leafspot of banana

Order: Pleosporales- Variable ascostroma, with

pseudoparaphyses around asci

Genus: Cochliobolus – teleomorph of Bipolaris

or Curvularia (leafspot of grasses and
cereals)
Pleospora – teleomorph of Stemphylium (black
mold rot of tomato)
Leptosphaeria- teleomorph of Phoma (black rot of
cabbage)
Pyrenophora- teleomorph of Drechslera (leaf
spot)

Order: Capnodiales – Ascocarps formed on the

host surface in a mat of dark, loose
hyphae.

Genus: Capnodium – sooty, mold fungi on a

variety of crops
Order: Erysiphales –obligate biotrophs that
cause powdery mildew diseases in
several crops.Ascospores and asci
formed in cleistothecium. Mycelia and
fruiting bodies are formed on the host
surface

Genus – Sphaerotheca pannosa –powdery

mildew of roses
Blumeria graminis - powdery mildew
of grasses
Uncinula necator –powdery mildew of
grapes
Class: Discomycetes- with saucer-shaped or cup-
shaped ascocarps (apothecia)

Order:Helotiales – parasitic or saprobic. Asci

with slightly thickened apices;
ascospores of various shapes, msy or
may not septate

Genus: Diplocarpon rosae –black spot of roses

Monilinia gladioli – brown rot of stone
fruits
Stromatinia gladioli - gladiolus corm rot
Phylum: Basidiomycota (Club fungi or
Basidiomycetes
-Sexual spores called basidiospores or
sporidia, produced externally on a one or
four-celled structure called basidium

Order: Ustilaginales (smut fungi) –Only

teliospores are produced from
promycelium (basidium)

Genus: Sphacelotheca- several species cause

head smut of sorghum
Tilletia – cause bunt or covered smut of cereals
Urocystis cepulae – cause smut of onion
Ustilago maydis – causes corn smut
Order:Uredinales (the obligate rust fungi)-
produce aeciospores,
uredospores (repeating spores),
teliospores and basidiospores

Genus: Phakopsora pachyrhizi – soybean rust

Puccinia graminis –rust of cereals

Uromyces phaseoli –rust of beans

Hemileia vastatrix –rust of coffee

Order:Exobasidiales – No basidiocarp formed,
basidia produced on the surface of
parasitized tissue
Genus: Exobasidium –leaf, flower and stem
galls on ornamentals
Order: Aphyllophorales – Hymenium lining the
surfaces of small pores or tubes;
basidia have no cross walls
Genus: Fomes –rot of many trees
Polyporus –root and stem rot of many trees,
roting of logs
Stereum –wood decay and silver leaf disease of
trees
Order of Agaricales – Hymenium radiating fills or
lamellae; many are edible
(mushrooms) some are mycorrhizal
fungi
Genus: Armillaria mellea- root rots of trees
Lenzites – brown rot of conifers and
decay of wood products
Genus:
Maramius –the fairy ring disease of turf
grass
Pleurotus –white rot on forest rees
Schizophyllum- white rot in deciduous
forest trees
Pholiota –brown rot in forest trees
 DEUTEROMYCETES OR IMPERFECT FUNGI
- Sexual reproduction and sexual structures are lacking or
unknown
-Asexual spores (conidia) are formed on conidiophores, which
may occur singly,
in groups or
-Produced in asexual fruiting structures such as pycnidia or
acervuli
Genus: Alternaria –leaf spot and blights on many crop plants
Bipolaris – leaf spot in cereal plants
Botrytis – gray mold rot in strawberry and other crops
Curvularia – leaf spots in the grass family
Diplodia –causes fruit rot
Oidium – powdery mildews in many plants
Pestalotia – leaf spot and fruit spots
Rhizoctonia (Sclerotium) – rotting of leaves, stems and roots
PLANT PATHOGENIC PSEUDOFUNGI (Kingdom Chromista)

-The pseudofungi, the Oomycetes have been placed under kingdom

Chromista (along with brown algae and diatoms)
- Have no phylogenetic relationship with the fungi
- uni- or multi cellular, filamentous or colonial
- with chloroplasts
- Their cell walls contain glucan, cellulose and hydroxyproline
- -unequal biflagellate zoospores, reproduce sexually by gametangial
contact to produce thick-walled oospores

- Class Oomycetes – union of antheridium and oogonium (oospores),

coenocytic mycelium; produce biflagellate zoospores in
zoosporangia
- Order: Saprolegniales
- Genus: Aphanomyces

- Order: Peronosporales- sporangia present, zoosporangia are

- produced at tips of hyphae and set free. Oospores
- present

- Family: Pythiaceae-form sporangia at tips of hyphae or along

- somatic hyphae; produce asexual
- zoospores and sexual oogonia.

- - damping- off of seedlings

 Genus: Pythium
Pythium spp. Causes damping-off, root rots, cottony
Phytophthora
P. infestans – causes late blight of potato
P. palmivora – causes coconut bud rot
Family Albuginaceae – form sporangia in chain; known as the
“white rusts”
- Genus: Albugo
A. candida – cause white rust of crucifers
A. ipomoeae – pandurance – infects sweet potato
Family Peronosporaceae – bear sporangia on sporangiosphores
that are characteristically branched;
obligate parasites; called the “downy
mildews” due to the diseases they
caused.
Genus – *Peronosclerospora

P. philippinensis – cause downy mildew of corn

*Plasmopora
P. viticola – causes downy mildew of grape

*Peronospora
P. tabacina – causes downy mildew of tobacci

*Bremia
B. lactucae – causes downy mildew of lettuce

*Pseudoperonospora
P. cubensis – causes downy mildew of
cucurbits
Table 1. Major distinctions between the Oomycota in the Chromista and the
true Fungi (Chytridiomycota, Glomeromycota, Zygomycota,
Ascomycota, Basidiomycota)

CHARACTER OOMYCOTA TRUE FUNGI

Heterogametangia. Oospores not produced;

Fertilization of oospheres sexual reproduction results
Sexual reproduction
by nuclei from antheridia in zygospores, ascospores
forming oospores. or basidiospores

Nuclear state of vegetative

Diploid Haploid or dikaryotic
mycelium

Chitin. Cellulose rarely

Cell wall composition Beta glucans, cellulose
present

Heterokont, of two types,

one whiplash, directed If flagellum produced,
Type of flagella on
posteriorly, the other usually of only one type:
zoospores, if produced
fibrous, ciliated, directed posterior, whiplash
anteriorly (tinsel flagellum)

Mitochondria With tubular cristae With flattened cristae

PROTOZOA AS PLANT PATHOGENS (Kingdom Protozoa)

a. Myxomycetes or Slime molds – formed naked amorphous plasmodia.

Genera: Fuligo, Mucilago, Physarum – form slime molds on
plants lying close to the grounds interfering with
normal photosynthesis

b. Plasmodiophoromycetes – endoparasitic slime molds or fungal-like

Plasmodiophoromycetes
Genera: Plasmodiophora
P. brassicae – cause of clubroot of cabbage and
other crucifers
Spongospora
S. subterranean – cause of powdery scab of potato
tubers
Flagellate Protozoa of uncertain pathogenicity occur in laticiferous plants
Phytomonas leptovasarum – believed to be the cause
of phloem necrosis of coffee in Surinam

Heartrot disease of coconut – reportedly caused by a flagellate

protozoa