Asexual Sporulation in the Oomycetes
1997; Elsevier BV; Linguagem: Inglês
10.1016/s0065-2296(08)60079-8
ISSN2162-5948
AutoresA. R. Hardham, Geoffrey J. Hyde,
Tópico(s)Plant-Microbe Interactions and Immunity
ResumoThis chapter discusses asexual sporulation in the oomycetes, which are an important and distinct group of organisms. The class contains species that cause many of the world's serious plant diseases, perhaps the most infamous being Phytophthoru infestuns, the late blight of potato. Phytophthora species cause root rots of a wide variety of crop and ornamental and forest plants; species of Pythium cause seed rot and seedling damping off. The oomycetes, however, differ from true fungi and are more plant-like in a range of structural and biochemical characters. Both the taxonomy and pathogenicity of oomycetes depend greatly upon the features of motile zoospores that are produced in large numbers by most of these organisms. The flagellar apparatus is one of several morphological features that are critical for zoosporic pathogenicity. Flagellar activity makes the zoospores motile, allowing them to swim towards potential hosts, to which they are chemotactically attracted. The central importance of zoospores to oomycete research, much effort has been directed towards gaining an understanding of how they are formed, the process of sporulation. Understanding the requirements for and mechanisms involved in oomycete sporangiogenesis and zoosporogenesis will provide a basis for the development of novel disease control measures that will target and inhibit sporulation events.
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