PPDL Picture of the Week
August 20, 2018
Slime Mold
Dan Egel, Clinical Engagement Associate Professor-SWPAC, Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University
In graduate school, when we weren’t arguing about which
pizza to order, we might argue about the definition of plant disease. For example, does figure 1 represent a plant
disease? The growth on the turf grass
shown here is from a slime mold. My
friends who argued that that the photo shows a plant disease would point out
that the slime mold was shading the turf and thus perhaps slowing growth, a
little bit. My friends on the other side
of the argument would point out that the slime mold wasn’t invading the inside
the plant to remove nutrients as do most plant diseases.
Slime molds that grow on turf grass don’t need nutrients
from inside plants. Instead, slime molds
use turf as a growth structure and survive on nutrients on the surface of plants. Slime molds on turf are more likely after wet
weather and during humid conditions.
Turf with a lot of thatch may favor the growth of slime molds.
Homeowners may have little interest in whether figure 1 is a
plant disease. However, homeowners may
be interested in how to get rid of slime molds on turf. Fortunately, the answer is easy. Mow the grass. In figure 1, slime molds are growing on turf
that was somehow not cut during the last mowing. When the turf is cut, the slime mold will
fall to the ground. Raking is another
possible method to get rid of slime molds.
I have never been very worried about slime molds on turf
grass which is usually a minor problem.
Nor am I worried about the definition of plant disease. Which pizza topping to order is much more
important.