black root rot fungus

8.5

A fungus that attacks the roots of apple trees and makes them rot

noun
/blæk ruːt rɒt ˈfʌŋɡəs/

Specialized

: hongo de la pudrición de raíz negra

The orchard was devastated by black root rot fungus that attacked the apple trees' roots.

Examples

Proper soil drainage can help prevent black root rot fungus from spreading among plants.
Researchers are developing new methods to detect black root rot fungus in agricultural soils.
The black root rot fungus can severely damage apple trees.
Farmers are concerned about the black root rot fungus affecting their crops.
Proper soil drainage can help prevent black root rot fungus from spreading among plants.
The orchard was devastated by black root rot fungus that attacked the apple trees' roots.
Farmers are concerned about the black root rot fungus affecting their crops.

Synonyms

Xylaria mali

vsblack root rot fungus

Specialized

9.9

A fungus that causes black root rot in apple trees

is a general fungus term without naming the exact species

How Harmful

lethal gene

Specialized

7.6

black root rot fungus

Specialized

8.5

phytopathogen

Specialized

9.9

pathogenic

Specialized

5 7.0

Surface Forms

black root rot fungus singular

black root rot fungi plural

Morphology

black + root + rot + fungus

The phrase is fully compositional: 'black' (color) + 'root' (plant organ) + 'rot' (decay) + 'fungus' (organism) combine to describe a fungus associated with black root decay. It is a descriptive, non-idiomatic technical noun phrase that a B1 learner who knows the constituent words can readily infer.

Etymology

Black root rot fungus gets its name from the clear image farmers see: a fungus that makes the plant root turn black and rot. Farmers and scientists used that simple picture to name it, so today it means 'a fungus that causes black root rot disease'.