Pythium pringsheim biography
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Pythium is a genus with over 200 species found worldwide, some of which are residents of terrestrial habitats while others are aquatic. In terms of nutrient acquisition, species within the genus may be saprophytes, plant or animal parasites, or mycoparasites. The genus was established by Pringsheim in 1858 (13) and members were considered as true fungi until recently when they were moved to a new Kingdom, Stramenopila. Within that kingdom, the genus Pythium is in the phylum Heterokonta, class Peronosporomycetes, order Pythiales, family Pythiaceae (7). The order Pythiales also includes the genera Phytophthora and Pythiogeton.
Pythium species are eukaryotes (have true nuclei) that have filamentous (thread-like), coenocytic (non-septate threads lacking cross walls) cell growth. The cell wall of many oomycetes is composed of cellulose and β-1, 3 glucan with minimal amounts of chitin. Chitin is a major component of the walls of true fungi. The asexual or vegetative stage of
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Monograph of the genus Pythium
Studies in Mycology. No. 21 | 22 Dec. 1981 |
J. VAN DER PLAATS-NITERINK
Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures, Baarn
Summary
This revision of the species of Pythium Pringsh. is mainly based on living cultures preserved at the Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures. Eighty five species are recognized and described in alphabetical sequence; sixty four of these are available as living strains. In addition, two highly specialized cellulolytic species are treated in an appendix. Pythiumbuismaniae and P. macrosporum are described as new species. These species and some incompletely known ones are keyed out dichotomously. Seven species are heterothallic and produce sexual organs only in combinations of compatible isolates, whilst others that fail to produce oogonia can generally not be identified at species level. Sixty five taxa are listed as excluded, incompletely known or doubtful.
The species are illustrated by line drawings, a few
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Bacteriology & Mycology: Open Access
Review Article Volume 6 Issue 1
Hon H Ho Regret for the inconvenience: we are taking measures to prevent fraudulent form submissions by extractors and page crawlers.
Regret for the inconvenience: we are taking measures to prevent fraudulent form submissions by extractors and page crawlers.
Department of Biology, State University of New York, USA
Correspondence: Hon H Ho, Professor of Biology, State University of New York, New Paltz, fräsch 12561, USA
Received: January 23, 2018 | Published: February 12, 2018
Citation: Ho HH. The taxonomy and biology of Phytophthora and Pythium. J Bacteriol Mycol Open Access. 2018;6(1):40-45. DOI: 10.15406/jbmoa.2018.06.00174
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The genera Phytophthora and Pythium include many economically important species which have been placed in Kingdom Chromista or Kingdom Straminipila, distinct from Kingdom Fungi. Their taxonomic problems, basic biology and economic importance have been reviewed. Morphologically, both genera are very similar in having coenocytic, hyaline and freely branching mycelia, oogoni