Occurrence of damping-off of okra in Florida, caused by <i>Pythium aphanidermatum</i>

During summer 2025, yellowing, stunting and dying okra plants were observed in a 50-acre field in Homestead, Florida, USA. Three isolates of microorganisms associated with symptomatic plants were obtained and identified as Pythium aphanidermatum based on the morphological characteristics and DNA sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis based on ITS, CoxII and β-tubulin sequences confirmed the identification. The pathogenicity of the Pythium isolates was confirmed on both okra, revealing a high damping-off incidence up to 62.5 and 90%, respectively. This is the first report of P. aphanidermatum causing severe damping-off of okra in Florida and may pose a serious threat to okra production in Florida if not managed properly.