About Pythium
What is Pythium?
Pythium is a waterborne fungus and is commonly known as Root Rot. The fungus will restrict the root system of plants it comes into contact with. Consequently, the plants will be unable to increase their uptake in water and they will wilt. For many growers this is the first sign that Pythium is active in their system.
Pythium can be caused by several different species of the fungus Pythium. There also a number of similar pathogenic organisms that can attack the roots of plants in a hydroponic system. The term Pythium is used here generically, to describe fungal organisms of the Pythium family and others that behave in a similar way. These fungi are common in soils, sands or sediment of surface water supplies, and dead roots of previous crops.
How is Pythium Introduced?
The greenhouse or grow-room debris from past crops that remain dry and free from weathering, escape the chemical, physical and biological degradation that occurs in the open air. Virtually all crop disease organisms (such as Pythium) can survive in plant debris for months or years in a dry state, even in invisible dust on the floor. Organisms can also survive on tools, pots and implements such as meters, culture trays and clothing. Hygiene is therefore a primal requirement for overall disease control.
Pythium can also be introduced from the raw water supply. Dam and bore water can easily contain Pythium and some research even suggests that town water may not contain enough chlorine to eliminate all the Pythium from the water supply.
Pythium can cause severe Root Rot because it has few competitors (good micro organisms that can combat Pythium in the water supply) to check its activity. It can multiply easily in warm conditions. As the water gets warm it holds less oxygen, which is perfect conditions for Pythium to spread rapidly and transmit its spores very quickly through the system.