organic crop residues into the soil. Deep plowing after harvest breaks up potentially infected soil 6 to 10 inches deep and has been shown to combat Texas root rot by disrupting the pathogen’s ability to form sclerotia. The planting of resistant grass crops, such as sorghum, to surround an already infected area can limit the spread of Texas root rot to other areas. By surrounding susceptible crops with immune grasses, a barrier layer in the soil can be created to block root infection of susceptible crops. Organic amendments are an effective treatment against Texas root rot when applied to the soil before spring planting. The most effective amendment is composed of residues from wheat, oats, and other cereal crops. Though sources disagree, crop rotation is not an effective control method because of Texas root rot’s wide host range of over 2,000 host species. Overall, it is best to avoid areas known to suffer from the Texas root rot because no management technique is a guarantee to control the pathogen. Importance Texas root rot (Phymatotrichopsis omnivora) is regarded as one of the most impactful diseases of woody dicotyledon plants in large part because of its wide array of dicotyledon host plants, featuring one of the largest host ranges of any known fungal pathogen with over 2,000 possible host species. Though Texas root rot has been studied since 1888, there are few effective management tools because of the unique biological characteristics of the pathogen. Namely, its ability to last virtually indefinitely in soil and its capacity to survive on roots of native vegetation without producing symptoms. The species' broad host range also makes management difficult because disease populations can be maintained across various host species. Texas root rot presents a serious economic threat to cotton growers with losses of upwards of $29 million in cotton found in Texas as estimated by Texas A&M. References External links Cotton (Texas) Root Rot Texas Root Rot Index Fungorum - Phymatotrichopsis omnivora USDA ARS Fungal Database EPPO Quarantine pest: Phymatotrichopsis omnivora Persoonia - Molecular Systematics of Phymatotrichopsis omnivora NC State Pathogen Profile Phymatotrichopsis Fungal plant pathogens and diseases Cotton diseases