Plant Pathology Introduction

Plant Pathology Introduction  Importance of the Plant Diseases Globally, enormous losses of the crops are caused by the plant diseases. The loss can occur from the time of seed sowing in the field to harvesting and storage. Important historical evidences of plant disease epidemics are Irish Famine due to late blight of potato (Ireland, 1845), Bengal famine due to brown spot of rice (India, 1942) and Coffee rust (Sri Lanka, 1967). Such epidemics had left their effect on the economy of the affected countries. Objectives...

Read More

White Rust of Crucifers| Albugo| Disease cycle| Control Measures|

White Rust of Crucifers| Albugo| Disease cycle| Control Measures| HOSTS White rust most commonly occurs on: field mustard (Brassica campestris L.), leaf or Chinese mustard (B. juncea Zerj, & Coss.), black mustard (B. nigra (L.) Koch), broccoli and cauliflower (B. oleracea L. var. botrytis L.), Chinese or celery cabbage (B. pekinensis (Lour.) Rupr.), rutabaga (B. campestris L. var. napobrassica (L.)...

Read More

Rust of Wheat

Rust of Wheat Introduction: Rust diseases of wheat are among the oldest plant diseases known to humans. Early literature on wheat cultivation mentions these devastating diseases and their ability to destroy entire wheat crops. Since rust discovery, numerous studies have been conducted on the life cycles of rust pathogens and their management. The information gained from these studies has enabled us to develop best management practices that reduce...

Read More

Loose smut of wheat| Causal Organism| Ustilago

Loose smut of wheat| Causal Organism| Ustilago It is one of the common disease of wheat caused by Ustilago tritici.  Smut fungi belonging to order Ustilaginales are parasites both on monocots and dicots. Since they impart sooty appearance due to production of black spore mass they are generally described as smut fungi. The mycelium of these fungi is parasitic dikaryotic and quite often intercellular in the host plant, may be systemic or localized. Ustilaginales as a group do not possess orgainsed sex- organs but dikaryotization...

Read More

Red Rot of Sugarcane -

Red Rot of Sugarcane  Introduction: Red rot, caused by Colletotrichum falcatum, is one of the major diseases of sugarcane in the world. Symptoms: Red rot attacks the stalks, stubble rhizomes, and leaf midribs of the sugarcane plant. It may invade leaf-blade and leaf-sheath tissues and is capable of infecting sugarcane roots but it is not important as a disease of these organs. Red rot is frequently...

Read More

Late Blight of Potato| Phytophthora infestans| Symptoms & Control

Late Blight of Potato| Phytophthora infestans| Symptoms & Control Late blight is not only the most serious fungal disease of potatoes, it also occurs almost everywhere where potatoes are grown and is especially important in the traditional potato growing areas. On several occasions the disease has reached disastrous proportions. Well documented is the Irish Famine of around 1845 to 1850 when, as a result of a late blight epidemic,...

Read More

Citrus Canker

Citrus Canker Fig: Citrus canker Citrus canker is one of the most feared of citrus diseases, affecting all types of important citrus crops. The disease causes extensive damage to citrus and severity of this infection varies with different species and varieties and the prevailing climatic conditions. Citrus canker presently occurs in over thirty countries in Asia, the Pacific and Indian Ocean islands, South America, and the South eastern...

Read More