Phoma is a genus of fungi that can infest plants and grow indoors. It is difficult to identify and can cause Phoma blight in plants. Exposure to some species can trigger mold allergies and cause skin infections in humans and animals.
Phoma is a fungal genus classified within molds with over 200 known species, found worldwide. These fungi typically live in the soil and can periodically infest plants by attaching themselves to plant roots and colonizing the plant from there. It can be difficult to firmly identify fungi in the genus Phoma and narrow identification to species, and these fungi can occasionally be confused with examples from other genera. This is a common problem with mold and mildew, as the differences between species can be too subtle to identify in the field or without the proper equipment.
These fungi reproduce asexually and are known as dematiaceous, meaning they have melanin in their cell walls. This causes the Phoma to appear dark in color, especially when crowded into a large colony. A colony can spread very quickly under the right conditions, classically growing in substrate so that it can be difficult to separate the fungus from the material it is growing on. Phoma is sometimes seen indoors on walls, where it can be very destructive.
A classic cologne has a velvety texture that can be slightly powdery, depending on the species. It can be white to gray with pink, yellow and reddish tints. Phoma mold produces distinctly rounded fruit bodies that can be clearly seen under a microscope, and the spores are unicellular. Left unchecked, Phoma will happily spread to cover an area.
In plants, Phoma species are common pathogens. The fungi can cause a condition known as Phoma blight, characterized by a wilting and fading of the plant’s leaves. Downy mildew will eventually kill the plant and can spread to other plants and trees nearby. Phoma downy mildew can be a very serious problem for nurseries, as the fungus can spread over a large area before people realize what the problem is, and will happily hang around in the soil until the plants come. returned to the area, causing a recurrence of the initial stain.
In humans, exposure to some Phoma species can trigger mold allergies, especially when the fungus grows indoors. Respiratory infections can also occur alongside pheohypomycosis, a subcutaneous skin infection that causes skin discoloration as the fungus grows within the layers of the skin. Antifungal medications and site debridement are used to treat this skin infection. Animals can also develop pheohypomycosis infections.
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