Abstract
Abstract A description is provided for Rhizopus stolonifer . Information is included on the disease caused by the organism, its transmission, geographical distribution, and hosts. HOSTS: On soil, fruit and vegetables and decaying plant material, and associated with disorders of man and animals. DISEASE: Causes a wet, pale brown soft rot of many fruit and vegetables. Particularly severe in storage on sweet potatoes, peaches and strawberries. Known as 'whiskers' because of profuse mycelial growth or 'leek' because of soft watery rot. Mildly parasitic to maturing fruit before they are harvested but primarily a wound invading fungus. It is reported as poisoning man (RMVM 6, 1831) and cattle (RMVM 6, 2161) and, experimentally, rats (RMVM 6, 1831). This species has been reported from various phycomycoses of man (RMVM 7, 1885, 3081, 4440; 11, 406), from bovine mycotic abortion (RMVM 6, 2145) and is reported to be experimentally pathogenic to rabbits (RMVM 7, 4027). However, doubt is cast on the role of R. stolonifer as a pathogenic organism in warm-blooded animals as it does not grow at 37°C. GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: World-wide. TRANSMISSION: By air-borne sporangiospores and also by fruit flies ( Drosophila melanogaster ) associated with decaying fruits (43, 576).
Published Version
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