Albugo is a genus of plant-parasitic oomycetes. Those are not true fungi (Eumycota), although many discussions of this organism still treat it as a fungus. The taxonomy of this genus is incomplete, but several species are plant pathogens. Albugo is one of three genera currently described in the family Albuginaceae, the taxonomy of many species is still in flux.
This organism causes white rust or white blister diseases in above-ground plant tissues. While these organisms affect many types of plants, the destructive aspect of infection is limited to a few agricultural crops, including: beets (garden and sugar), Brussels sprouts, cabbages, Chinese cabbage, cauliflower, collards, garden cress, kale, lettuce, mustards, parsnip, radish, horseradish, rapeseed, salsify (black or white), spinach, sweet potatoes, turnips, watercress, and perhaps water-spinach.[2]