What does Pythium mean?
Pythium is a genus of parasitic oomycotes, which were previously classified as fungi.
Various Pythium species are responsible for serious diseases in plants such as rot and damping-off. This parasite can induce a root rot that is a common crop disease.
Symptoms of Pythium related diseases include stunted plants, brown or dead root tips, wilting plants during midday, yellow plants, and brown tissue on the outer portion of the root. Once a plant becomes infected with Pythium it can be very difficult to control. While pesticides might be able to get rid of Pythium, prevention is the best cure.
More on Pythium
Pythium can appear from several sources. The water source should be checked for Pythium before it is used to irrigate the plants. Covering ebb and flow irrigation systems can prevent contaminated debris from entering the main water system. It is also important to disinfect any equipment that comes in contact with a nutrient doser or with fertilizers. A Pythium infection should be taken very seriously as it can exponentially decrease the plant’s yield.
