Pythiums as Plant Pathogens

The genus Pythium includes a number of readily recognized species with wide distributions and host ranges. The taxonomic position of the genus and its relationship to other Phycomycetes were well established during the latter part of the 19th century. In the early 1900s pathologists found Pythium spp. consistently associated with root diseases and it soon became apparent that these fungi were important plant pathogens. Certainly, while 1),ot all isolates of Pythium species are capable of causing diseases of plants, many are soil­ borne pathogens that cause serious economic loss on a wide variety of hosts, while others are more limited in host and geographic range or affect plants only under special environmental conditions. New species are being discov­ ered as pathologists investigate soil organisms associated with plant growth problems. Rands & Dopp (123) in their classic investigation of sugarcane root dis­ eases established the symptoms and determined the conditions needed for these fungi to become destructive. This work, and others of a similar nature, are part of the extensive literature on diseases caused by species of Pythium. This review will concentrate on examples of the readily available literature of the past 50 years and will emphasize the pathology of the genus, with only brief treatment of other aspects such as taxonomy and control. It will be con­ fined to Pythium spp. as they affect economic plants and will not deal with those affecting algae, other marine plants, fungi, and unusual hosts.