Yahoo: Brown lawn patches? Here's what to do if your grass has this autumnal disease There's nothing quite like looking outside your window and seeing a vivid green lawn shining before you. What's less pleasant, however, is looking out onto that lawn and noticing an ugly brown patch ...

Understanding the Context

Brown lawn patches? Here's what to do if your grass has this autumnal disease Fusarium species cause a broad spectrum of infections in humans, including superficial infections such as keratitis and onychomycosis, as well as locally invasive and disseminated infections [1]. Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense is a fungal plant pathogen that causes Panama disease of banana (Musa spp.), also known as fusarium wilt of banana.

Key Insights

Panama disease affects a wide range of banana cultivars, which are propagated asexually from offshoots and therefore have very little genetic diversity. Fusarium causes millions of dollars in damage to the United States and Canada annually. These fungi cause a wide range of plant diseases, including crown rot, head blight, and scab. Fusarium is a type of mold classified as a filamentous fungus. When grown in culture, its colonies often display characteristic coloration, ranging from white or light gray to shades of pink, salmon, or deep purple.

Final Thoughts

These vibrant pigments are a macroscopic clue to the mold’s identity. Fusariosis describes a superficial, locally invasive, disseminated infection with the pathogenic fungus species, Fusarium, often found in soil and water, which is mainly transmitted to humans through traumatic inoculation and that manifests with keratitis, onychomycosis and less frequently peritonitis and cellulitis.