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Phytophthora

Other Protists

Phytophthora infestans is a water mold, a fungus-like protist historically misclassified as a true fungus, that causes late blight, a fast-spreading disease of potato and tomato plants that destroys leaves and rots tubers in wet, cool conditions. It was the direct cause of the Irish potato famine of the 1840s, when repeated crop failures triggered mass starvation and emigration, and it remains one of the most economically damaging plant pathogens in the world, continuing to threaten potato production on every continent where the crop is grown today.

Facts
Classification
System (Realm)
Terrestrial 2
Relationship to People
Agricultural or Structural Pest 1
Identification
Distinguishing Appearance
Cell walls contain cellulose instead of chitin and hyphae lack cross-walls, producing swimming zoospores 1
Scientific Name
Phytophthora infestans 1
Connections

Child Taxon Of

Oomycota, Taxa
Source Wikidata: Phytophthora
In the Other Atlases

Found In

Argentina

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Austria

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Belgium

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Bolivia

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Brazil

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Denmark

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France

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Germany

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Latvia

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Lithuania

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Norway

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Poland

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Portugal

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Slovenia

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Sweden

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Taiwan

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United Kingdom

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United States

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Sources
1. Phytophthora infestans (Wikipedia)
  • Introduction
    Phytophthora infestans
  • Introduction
    Despite its resemblance to true fungi, morphological and molecular classification places this organism among the Stramenopiles; as their cell walls are made of cellulose instead of chitin, and they reproduce through swimming spores, they are evolutionary and functionally closer to algae and diatoms.
  • major factor in the 1840s European, the 1845-1852 Irish, and the 1846 Highland potato famines
  • In Group: Oomycetes (Water Molds), Lead
    Phytophthora infestans is an oomycete or water mold, a fungus-like microorganism (oomycete) that causes the serious crop disease known as late blight or potato blight.
View the Source
2. GBIF Species API
GBIF Species APIView the Source
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
International Union for Conservation of NatureView the Source
Wikidata: Phytophthora
  • Wikidata Q149072, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)
  • Child Taxon Of: Oomycota, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chain
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