Floodplain drilling (Buerenia inundata)
Floodplain drilling is a parasite of the Umbelliferae family.
The fungus is most commonly found in Western Europe. It can also be found in the British Isles, back in Germany, France and Switzerland. The first time it was described in France.
The parasite can infect various types of celery, carrots and marshmallow.
The life cycle of floodplain drilling was studied in detail in the 60-70s of the last century.
Ascogenous cells of the parasite break through the epidermis of the plant. This is how they are liberated. There is no rest period. They also do not form a synascus. The size of mature ascogenous cells is up to 500 µm. They contain about 100-300 nuclei. They divide among themselves by meiosis, as a result of which mononuclear ascopores are formed. The latter are fixed on the periphery of the ascogenous cell, and the vacuole takes the place in the center.
The parasite has ascopores. Before germinating, they mate. Ascopores are available in two types of mating that are opposite to each other (the so-called simple bipolar heterothallism). As a result of mating, a diploid cell is formed, which then grows into mycelium. This is how the process of infection of the plant and distribution through the intercellular spaces takes place.