Sporangia and oospores of P. cactorum persisted for appreciable periods in soil at temperatures and soil water contents likely to prevail during a growing season.Mycelium lysed more rapidly as soil water content and temperature increased. Hyphae were not viable after 3 days incubation in wet soil at 29 °C but survived for at least 45 days at 4 °C.At soil water contents higher than 3.0 bars suction and at soil temperatures above 10 °C sporangia appeared on mycelium buried in soil. When soil moisture was reduced to 3.0 bars suction and temperature to 10 °C, oogonia were formed.Longevity of sporangia was reduced by increasing soil water content above 0.3 bars suction. Glucose added to soil induced germination of sporangia and germ tube elongation, while asparagine inhibited germination.Sporangia and oospores but not mycelium survived freezing temperatures in moist soil. Sporangia could not be recovered from soil which had been allowed to dry. Some oospores germinated after drying.