Tag: fungi
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Question of the Week – Beauveria
What has made this diamondback moth appear white and fuzzy? This diamondback moth is covered in a fungus called Beauveria bassiana. Beauveria is an entomopathogenic (meaning it develops on insects), soil dwelling fungi. This beneficial fungus is native to the US and affects at least 700 species of insects. Aerial spores of the fungus land…
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White Mold on Kale and Other Cool-Season Vegetables
From Clemson Plant Pathologist Tony Keinath Sclerotinia white mold, a cool-season disease on several different vegetable crops, is present on collard and (probably) on kale. It is particularly common on over-wintered crops. The white mold fungus has a complex life cycle. The fungus, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, survives long-term and over the summer as sclerotia in soil.…
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Question of the Week – Jelly Fungus
This week, the question was: What is the dark-colored thing growing on this branch? This is a jelly fungus. Jelly fungi are usually found growing on dead or dying branches. Jelly fungi often swell when there is plenty of moisture in the air (pictured) and shrink when the air is dry. Lichen (the light greenish-grey,…
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Question of the Week – Armillaria Root Rot
This week, the question was: What is growing at the base of this peach tree? These are mushrooms from the fungal root disease Armillaria Root Rot (Armillaria spp.). This soil-borne disease is of major concern for the stone fruit industry as it causes premature tree decline. There are currently no resistant rootstocks available. Therefore, cultural…
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Question of the Week – Stinkhorns
This week, the question was: What is this specialty crop that Zack is growing in Charleston? If you knelt down and gave this mushroom a sniff, I can promise you would not take a bite out of it. This mushroom belongs to a group known as stinkhorns. They get their name from the terrible (to…
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Question of the Week – Stinkhorns
This week, the question was: What are these weird-looking things coming out of the leaf litter in a wooded area? These are stinkhorn mushrooms, not aliens. Stinkhorns are different from other mushrooms which disperse their spores by releasing them into the air. Instead, they produce their spores in a sticky substance known as the gleba.…
The South Carolina Grower 