Stemphylium floridanum

Stemphylium floridanum is a species of fungus in the family Pleosporaceae. It is a plant pathogen that affects a variety of crops and ornamental plants.

Taxonomy

The genus Stemphylium was first described by the German mycologist Gustav Wilhelm Körber in 1857. The species Stemphylium floridanum was later identified and named due to its prevalence in the state of Florida, United States.

Description

Stemphylium floridanum is a hyphomycete fungus, characterized by its dark, septate hyphae and conidia. The conidia are typically brown, multicellular, and have a distinctive "beak" at one end.

Pathology

Stemphylium floridanum is a plant pathogen that causes leaf spot diseases in a variety of plants. It is particularly damaging to tomato and pepper crops, but can also affect onion, garlic, and various ornamental plants. The fungus infects the leaves of the plant, causing brown or black spots that can eventually lead to leaf drop and reduced yield.

Management

Management of Stemphylium floridanum involves a combination of cultural practices and chemical control. Cultural practices include crop rotation, removal of infected plant debris, and avoiding overhead irrigation which can spread the fungus. Chemical control typically involves the use of fungicides.

See also

• List of tomato diseases
• List of pepper diseases