Ceratobasidium noxium

Ceratobasidium noxium is a species of fungus in the family Ceratobasidiaceae. It is a plant pathogen that causes sheath blight in rice.

Taxonomy

The species was first described in 1927 by American mycologist Franklin Sumner Earle. The genus Ceratobasidium is characterized by the production of basidia (spore-producing cells) that are septate (divided by walls or partitions). The specific epithet noxium is derived from the Latin word for "harmful", referring to the pathogenic nature of the fungus.

Description

Ceratobasidium noxium produces white to cream-colored, cottony colonies. The hyphae are typically thin-walled and branched, with clamp connections. The basidia are club-shaped and four-celled, producing four basidiospores each. The basidiospores are hyaline (translucent), smooth, and ellipsoid in shape.

Pathogenicity

Ceratobasidium noxium is a pathogen of rice, causing a disease known as sheath blight. The fungus infects the sheaths of the rice plant, causing lesions that can spread to the leaves and stems. In severe cases, the disease can cause significant yield loss.

Management

Management of sheath blight caused by Ceratobasidium noxium involves a combination of cultural practices, chemical control, and the use of resistant rice varieties. Cultural practices include proper field sanitation and crop rotation. Chemical control typically involves the use of fungicides. Breeding for resistance is an ongoing area of research.

See also

• List of rice diseases
• Ceratobasidium