Damping off is caused by which type of organism?

Damping off is caused by which type of organism?

• A. Bacterial infection
• B. Viral infection
• C. Nematode infection
• D. Fungal disease

Answer: (D)

Damping off is a seedling disease driven by fungi and fungus-like organisms that attack the stem base and young roots. The pathogens live in the soil and attack the seedling right at soil level, causing the stem to thin and collapse, so the seedling falls over or fails to emerge. The usual suspects are fungi such as Pythium and Rhizoctonia, with Fusarium also involved, and these organisms thrive in consistently wet, poorly drained, and crowded conditions. That environmental sensitivity is why damping off is classified as a fungal disease. Other problems you might see with plants—bacterial infections cause rots, viruses cause stunting or mosaic patterns, and nematodes damage roots more broadly—don’t produce the classic sudden collapse of seedlings at the soil line. Prevention comes down to cleaner starting materials and better culture: sterile seed-starting mix and clean containers, sowing with proper spacing, careful watering (preferably bottom watering), good drainage, and good air circulation to keep the soil surface from staying continuously wet.

Damping off is a seedling disease driven by fungi and fungus-like organisms that attack the stem base and young roots. The pathogens live in the soil and attack the seedling right at soil level, causing the stem to thin and collapse, so the seedling falls over or fails to emerge. The usual suspects are fungi such as Pythium and Rhizoctonia, with Fusarium also involved, and these organisms thrive in consistently wet, poorly drained, and crowded conditions. That environmental sensitivity is why damping off is classified as a fungal disease. Other problems you might see with plants—bacterial infections cause rots, viruses cause stunting or mosaic patterns, and nematodes damage roots more broadly—don’t produce the classic sudden collapse of seedlings at the soil line. Prevention comes down to cleaner starting materials and better culture: sterile seed-starting mix and clean containers, sowing with proper spacing, careful watering (preferably bottom watering), good drainage, and good air circulation to keep the soil surface from staying continuously wet.