Publication Type:
Government ReportSource:
American Samoa Community College Community & Natural Resources Cooperative Research & Extension , Volume Number 12, p.2 pp (2005)URL:
http://www2.ctahr.hawaii.edu/adap/ASCC_LandGrant/Dr_Brooks/BrochureNo12.pdfAbstract:
The organism that caused the 1845-46 Irish Potato Famine was named Phytophthora, the “plant destroyer”. Though initially considered a fungus, or water mold, this organism is more like certain algae and has been moved from the kingdom Fungi to Chromista. There are about 80 species of Phytophthora, all damaging to plants. One of the most common tropical species is P. palmivora, with more than 150 plant hosts. Some of the most important hosts are black pepper (Piper nigrum), rubber (Hevea brasilensis), durian (Durio zibethinus), coconut (Co- cos nucifera), cocoa (Theobroma cacao), breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis), and papaya (Carica papaya). In American Samoa, the last three hosts are attacked by P. palmivora.