Sooty Mold
- Pronunciation
- /SOO-tee mold/
- Category
- Fungal Diseases
- Singular
- Sooty Mold
- Plural
- Sooty Molds
Definition
Black-colored fungi that grow on plant surfaces. Although they do not infect plants directly, they thrive on the honeydew excreted by sap-feeding insects like aphids and whiteflies, resulting in a dark coating that can block light from reaching the leaves.
Etymology
The term 'sooty mold' likely originates from the dark, soot-like appearance of the fungal growth.
Example
Sooty mold can severely reduce the photosynthetic efficiency of plants.