How do fungal pathogens typically affect their host plants?

Fungal pathogens affect their host plants primarily by invading plant tissues, which leads to disease and decay. When fungi penetrate plant cells, they disrupt normal physiological processes, resulting in various symptoms such as wilting, chlorosis (yellowing of leaves), and necrosis (death of tissue). This invasion often compromises the plant's structural integrity and can inhibit its ability to photosynthesize effectively, damaging overall health and yield.

Fungal infections can lead to the development of spots, blights, and rots, further exemplifying the detrimental impact these pathogens have on their hosts. The decay caused by fungal agents can also predispose plants to secondary infections, compounding the effects and making recovery more difficult. While plants can have beneficial relationships with certain fungi—such as mycorrhizal fungi that enhance nutrient uptake—the specific focus here is on harmful fungal pathogens, which clearly cause negative impacts on plant health through invasion and destruction of tissues.