| Pyrenophora tritici-repentis | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Phylum: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Dothideomycetes |
| Subclass: | Pleosporomycetidae |
| Order: | Pleosporales |
| Family: | Pleosporaceae |
| Genus: | Pyrenophora |
| Species: | P. tritici-repentis |
| Binomial name | |
| Pyrenophora tritici-repentis (Died.) Drechsler, (1923) |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Drechslera tritici-repentis |
|
Pyrenophora tritici-repentis is a plant pathogen of fungal origin, causing a disease called tan spot or helminthosporiosis, that affects mainly wheat in its more common varieties. It forms characteristic, dark, oval-shaped spots of necrotic tissue surrounded by a yellow ring[1]. It is responsible for losses that account for up to 30% of the crop[2], due to its effects reducing photosynthesis. Parthenogenesis and toxicity in P. tritici-repentis is controlled by a single gene, transformations of this gene cause the pathogen to become benign when interacting with wheat [3]. This has major implications for those in agriculture seeking to combat the effects of this fungus.