Posted by brianc on January 11, 2002 at 14:17:51:
In Reply to: California info, but ndr posted by seahunt on January 11, 2002 at 13:09:51:
Phyto - plant
pthora - destroyer
This genus of fungi is responsible for many important plant diseases. The probable causal organism of the Irish starvation (not really a famine, but that's a long rant in itself)was Phytophtora infestans. Some plants can be infected without displaying signs or symptoms of disease. Many plants are devastaed by this fungus. This case is a very complex phytopathological situation. Beware of politicians looking for quick fixes on this one. I've encountered some incredibly mis-informed reporting in the popular press on this situation.