Olpidium brassicae
Encyclopedia
Olpidium brassicae is a plant pathogen. In 1983, the Alsike, Alberta
area's clover
(which is a major part of horse
s' diet) was struck by a fungus
epidemic of Olpidium brassicae, previously not seen in Canada
.
Alsike, Alberta
Alsike is an unincorporated place in central Alberta in Leduc County, located on Highway 39, Highway 22. It is west of Leduc.Alsike is notable for its horse farms and dude ranches...
area's clover
Clover
Clover , or trefoil, is a genus of about 300 species of plants in the leguminous pea family Fabaceae. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution; the highest diversity is found in the temperate Northern Hemisphere, but many species also occur in South America and Africa, including at high altitudes...
(which is a major part of horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
s' diet) was struck by a fungus
Fungus
A fungus is a member of a large group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds , as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, Fungi, which is separate from plants, animals, and bacteria...
epidemic of Olpidium brassicae, previously not seen in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.