Fusarium Oxysporum

Fusarium oxysporum is a soil-borne fungus that is widely distributed in temperate, tropical and subtropical regions of the world. It is a major plant pathogen, causing wilts and root rots of a broad range of crops. It is a cause of wide spread crop losses and has been estimated to causebillion dollars in losses each year. Fusarium oxysporum can also cause other diseases, like feline keratitis, in humans and animals. In addition to its destructive nature, Fusarium oxysporum is also being used as a biological control agent to reduce the spread of invasive weeds. It is also used in genomics research, to study its genetic diversity and the mechanisms of pathogenesis.