Damping Off – Rhizoctonia spp. – Fusarium spp. – Pythiumspp.

Damping off Common name Damping off Causal agent It is a fungal disease caused by members of several genera, including Alternaria, Fusarium, Rhizoctonia, Pythium, and a lot more. Scientific name Rhizoctonia spp. Fusarium spp. Pythiumspp. Symptoms & Signs Damping off prevents the seedlings from emerging from the soil and produces discolored water-soaked seedling stems. This makes the stems thin like a thread. The leaves also turn grayish-brown and wilt due to inadequate nutrition. Roots are mostly absent and, if present, are stunted. There is a gray mold growth in some plants under high humidity. Transmission The virus can be transmitted to other plants by means of infected tools, wind, insects, water, or human contact. The fungi grow rapidly in cool, wet conditions. Time of concern Early spring to late summer Common hosts Potato Tomato Cucumber Apple Peach Pumpkin