Urocystis brassicae
Species of fungus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Urocystis brassicae is a gall smut[1] and a plant pathogen that stunts the infected plants.[2] It is known to create root galls on Indian Mustard (Brassica campestris) and other Brassica species.
| Urocystis brassicae | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Basidiomycota |
| Class: | Ustilaginomycetes |
| Order: | Urocystidales |
| Family: | Urocystidiaceae |
| Genus: | Urocystis |
| Species: | U. brassicae |
| Binomial name | |
| Urocystis brassicae Mundk., (1938) | |
Physical characteristics
Gall characteristics
The wart-like galls of U. brassicae grow on the roots of plants.[3][4][5] When young, the galls are white in color.[2] As they age, they become a grayish-black colored gall with a 2–5 cm diameter.[2]
Spore characteristics
Urocystis brassicae has two types of spores.[4] One is fertile and the other is sterile.[4] Fertile spores are a deep brown color with dimensions of approximately 20 by 16 μm.[4] These fertile spores are surrounded by sterile spores that are elongated and a brighter brown than the fertile spores.[4] These sterile spores are approximately 9.9 by 6.1 μm.[4]
