New 'plant destroyer' water mold species found for first time in MN

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MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - University of Minnesota researchers have discovered 14 new "plant destroyer" water molds that were previously unreported in Minnesota.

Molds discovered

What we know:

The discovery was included in a report published in the Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology, the university announced in a media release on Monday.

The water molds were found as researchers surveyed Minnesota's nurseries, forest systems, and waterways.

Dig deeper:

Researchers say forests and waterways are "often overlooked" for the detection of Phytophthora.

‘Plant destroyers’

Why you should care:

Researchers say the research is "incredibly important to protect the urban and natural forest systems in Minnesota."

The molds are a species of Phytophtora, which is Greek for "plant destroyer," known for "causing extensive damage and economic losses to nurseries, forest stands, and landscapes worldwide."

"With over 5,000 hosts, including trees, crops and ornamental plants, Phytophthora causes some of the world's most destructive plant diseases such as sudden oak death as well as the root rot, decline and mortality of many woody species," explained co-author Robert Blanchette, a professor in the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences, in a provided statement.