ABSTRACT

Of the biotic plant disease agents known to humankind, fungi are the most prevalent, and the study of these organisms has some very rich history. Fungi were once considered to be plants and thus were in the domain of botanists. Fungi are actually microorganisms, however, and differ from plants such that they are now placed in their own kingdom (Table 7.1). With the development of techniques needed for studying microorganisms, the discipline of mycology (Greek: Mycos = fungus + -logy = study) developed, and now the fungi encompass organisms from many different groups. Indeed, not all fungi that cause plant disease are classied as true fungi now.