INTRODUCTION TO PLANT

PATHOLOGY
1. It is the study of the organism and of
environmental factors that cause diseases in
plants.
a. Plant Pathology
b. Etymology
c. Crop Protection
d. Entymology
2. Is the study of causation and/or origination
a. Plant Pathology
b. Etymology
c. Crop Protection
d. Entymology
Plant Pathology (Phytopathology): is a
Greek Word which is made by three words:
Phyton + Pathos + logos

Plant + suffering/ailments +
study/knowledge

Definition:
“Plant Pathology is that branch of agricultural, botanical
or biological science which deals with the study of the
causes, etiology, resulting losses and management/ control
of plant diseases.”
 Definition of Terms
• Etiology/aetiology- is the study of causation,
or origination
-is the study of the causes, origins, or reasons
behind the way that things are, or the way they
function, or it can refer to the causes themselves
Plant Pathology or phytopathology

It is the study of the organisms and of the

environment factors that cause disease in
plants; of the mechanisms by which these
factors induce disease in plants; and of the
methods of preventing or controlling disease
and reducing the damage it causes
3. What do you called to an individual living
thing, such as a plant, animal, bacterium,
protest, or fungus?
a. Specimen
b. Disease
c. Organism
d. Antagonist
 Definition of Terms
• Organism- is an individual living thing, such
as a plant, animal, bacterium, protest, or
fungus.
• Disease- a dis.
4. They are living organism obtaining from the
biosphere and are capable for reproduction.
a. Biotic
b. Abiotic
c. Organism
d. Disease
 Definition of Terms
Abiotic/Non Living factor- factors refer to non-living physical and
chemical elements in the ecosystem. Abiotic resources are usually
obtained from the lithosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere.
Examples of abiotic factors are water, air, soil, sunlight, and minerals.

Biotic factors are living or once- living organisms in the ecosystem.

These are obtained from the biosphere and are capable of
reproduction. Examples of biotic factors are animals, birds, plants,
fungi, and other similar organisms.
5. Who is the “Father of Mycology”?
a. Theophrastus
b. Leeuwenhoek
c. Hooke
d. Micheli
6. They are a great philosophers who recorded a
number of plant disease like blights, mildews,
rust and blasts except ______________.
a. Aristotle,
b. Homer
c. Theophrastus
d. Parkinsons
 HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF
PLANT
► Theophrastus
PATHOLOGY
(370-286 BC) – He write a book
entitled “Inquiry into Plants” . He wrote the
observations regarding diseases in this book.
Following are books where description of plant disease has
been given.

► Rigveda (3700 BC)

► Atharveda (1500-500 BC)
► Arthsasthra (321-186 BC)
 HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT
A. The Pre-Scientific Period
1. Pathogenic fungi were present in primitive
gymnosperms.
2. The great philosophers Aristotle, Homer and
Theophrastus recorded a number of plant
disease like blights, mildews, rust and blasts.
3. Disease of crops were generally thought to
be punishment for people’s sins brought down by a
wratful God.
B. Beginning and advances in scientific studies
15th century
– Hans and Zaccharias Jansen (1590) invented the
compound of microscope
16th century
– Sir Francis Bacon (1605) advocated inductive
reasoning methods to interpret natural
occurrences thus propelled the development of
the science.
– Hooke (1665) first to illustrate a plant pathogenic
fungi in detail in his Micrographia.
– Leeuwenhoek (1683) saw bacteria, protozoa and
other microorganisms
Parkinson’s Disease is a chronic, progressive
disease, and micrographia appears to worsen as
the condition progresses, causing handwriting to
shrink in size. Micrographia is believed to be a
result of bradykinesia, the slowing down and
loss of spontaneous movement that is one of
the four primary motor symptoms of PD.
B. Beginning and advances in scientific studies
17th century
• Franz Unger is credited with the Autogenetic theory of
disease which state that when plants are in a declining
phase, the cellular constituents call forth new forms of
life by a vital force.
• Pier Antonio Micheli (1729) first to see spore germination
and mycelial development thus convinced that fungi arose frpm
their own spores. He is called “Father of Mycology. Described
several genera of fungi with illustrations in his NOVA
PLANTARUM GENERA.
• Needham (1743) found plant parasitic Nematodes inside
galled wheat kernels.
• Tillet (1755) noted that dust (spores) from smutted
wheat when grown in healthy seeds resulted in smutted
wheat plants. He considered the spore dust as the carrier
of “poisonous entity”
7. The reproduction is adapted for dispersal and
for survival during unfavourable conditions.
a. Spores
b. Mycelium
c. Disease
d. Fungus
Spore is a unit of sexual or
asexual reproduction that may
be adapted for dispersal and for
survival, often for extended
periods of time, in unfavourable
conditions.

Mycelium is the vegetative part

of a fungus or fungus-like
bacterial colony, consisting of a
mass of branching, thread-like
hyphae.
8. It is a disease that first demonstrated on
wheat by Prevost that caused fungus.
a. Rot
b. Bunt
c. Blight
d. Wilt
B. Beginning and advances in
scientific studies
18th century
– Prevost (1807) first to demonstrate
that the bunt disease of wheat is
caused by fungus. He showed that
copper sulfate prevented spore
germination
Bunt disease also known as
stinking smut and covered
smut, is a disease of both
spring and winter wheats. It
is caused by two very
closely related fungi, Tilletia
tritici (syn. Tilletia caries)
and T. laevis (syn. T.
foetida).
9. What is the causal agent of Potato late blight?
a. Phytophthora palmivora
b. Phytophthora litura
c. Phytophthora infestans
d. Phytophthora capsici
Phytophthora palmivora – Bud rot /Fruit rot

Phytophthora litura- None

Phytophthora capsici- oomycete plant pathogen

that cause blight and fruit rot of pepper
– Heinrich Anton de Bary (1853)
demonstrated that fungi are the cause
and not the result of plant diseases. He
showed that Phytophthora infestans is
the cause of potato late blight. This
marked the end of the Autogenetic
theory and acceptance of the Germ
theory of Disease. For this, de Bary is
the father of plant pathology.
Potato blight or late blight
disease is caused by the fungus-
like organism Phytophthora
infestans, which spreads rapidly
in the foliage of potatoes and
tomatoes causing collapse and
decay. ... It is the most important
disease of potatoes and outdoor
tomatoes and caused the Irish
potato famine of the 1840s.
– Julius Kuhn (1858) wrote the first
textbook in Plant Pathology “ The
Diseases of cultivated plants their
causes and prevention”.
– Louis Pasteur (1860) prove that
microorganisms arise from pre-existing
living entities and this overthrowed the
theory of spontaneous generation.
– Koch, Petri and Brefeld (1860) work
on pure culture techniques for
growing microorganism.

– Thomas J. Burril and E. F. Smith (1878

– 1879) showed that the bacteria can
cause plant disease ( Fire Blight of
Apple and Pear).
Fire blight, also written
fireblight, is a contagious
disease affecting apples, pears,
and some other members of the
family Rosaceae.
It is a serious concern to apple
and pear producers. The causal
pathogen is Erwinia amylovora,
a Gram-negative bacterium in
the family Enterobacteriaceae.
10. Who discover the Bordeaux Mixture as first
fungicide?
a. Millardet
b. Beinjerinck
c. Ivanowski
d. Lafont
– Pierre Marie Alexis Millardet (1882) discovered
Bordeaux Mixture as the first fungicide which
formed the foundation of chemical control of
plant diseases.

– Beinjerinck and Ivanowski (1892 – 1898) their

work started the field of Plant Virology where
some plant diseases were caused by very small
entitles that could pass through bacterial filters.
Bordeaux Mixture- (also called
Bordo Mix) is a mixture of
copper(II) sulphate (CuSO4) and
slaked lime (Ca(OH)2) used as a
fungicide. It is used in vineyards,
fruit-farms and gardens to
prevent infestations of downy
mildew, powdery mildew and
other fungi.
19th century
– Lafont (1909) first observed that flagellate protozoa may parasitize
plants.

– Stahel (1931) found that coffee wilting was caused by protozoa, the
first time that a protozoa caused a plant disease.

– Stanley (1935) crystallized TMV where he considered as an

autocatalytic protein capable of multiplying in living cells of the hosts.

– Bawden and Co-workers (1936) showed the crystalline virus

preparation consisted of protein and nucleic acid.

– Kausche and Co-workers (1939) first saw virus particle under EM.
11. It is a whip-like structure that allows a cell to
move.
a. Flagella
b. Cells
c. Lamellae
d. Bacteria
Flagellate, (subphylum
Mastigophora), is a
hairlike structure capable
of whiplike lashing
movements that furnish
locomotion.
–Gierer and Schramm (1956)
established that the Nucleic
acid is the effective portion
of the virus particle.
12. What do you called the smallest infectious
pathogen?
a. Virus
b. Bacteria
c. Viroids
d. Fungus
 • Potato spindle tuber
("PSTVd") was the first viroid
to be identified. PSTVd is a
small, single stranded
circular RNA molecule

VIROID- are the smallest infectious

pathogens. They are composed solely of a
short strand of circular, single-stranded
RNA that has no protein coating.
– Diener (1971) observed that the potato
spindle tuber disease is caused by a viroid
( smallest agent of plant disease made up
of ribonudeic acid ) other diseases caused
by virioids includes cadang- cadang of
coconut and citrus exocortis.
Cadang-cadang is a disease
caused by Coconut cadang-
cadang viroid (CCCVd), a
lethal viroid of coconut (Cocos
nucifera), anahaw (Saribus
rotundifolius) buri (Corypha
utan).
Citrus exocortis is a disease of
citrus plants, caused by the
Citrus exocortis viroid (CEVd). It
can cause stunted growth and
reduced yields in affected
plants. The disease is also
sometimes called "scalybutt".
– Davis and Co-workers (1972) observed that
stunt disease of corn is caused by
SPIROPLASMA.

– Windsor and Black (1972) proved that the

Pierces disease of grapes was caused by
Rickettsia- like organisms.
Stunt disease- is a
bacterial disease of corn
and other grasses.
Symptoms include stunted
growth and leaves turning
red. It is caused by the
Bacterium spiroplasma
kunkelii.
Pierce's disease in grapes is
the result of a type of
bacteria known as Xylella
fastidiosa. This bacterium is
found in the xylem of the
plant (the water conducting
tissues) and spreads from
plant to plant by a particular
sap insect known as a
sharpshooter.
13. A disease that is devastating to susceptible
coffee plantations and first noted in Batangas
and destroyed all trees in 1890.
a. Leaf Rust
b. Bud rot
c. Leaf blight
d. Fruit rot
C. Development of Plant Pathology in
the Philippines

18th century
– Coffee Plant (Hemileia vastatrix) was
first noted in Batangas in 1885 and
destroyed all trees in 1890.
• Hemileia vastatrix is a fungus of the
order Pucciniales (previously also
known as Uredinales) that causes
coffee leaf rust (CLR), a disease that
is devastating to susceptible coffee
plantations. Coffee serves as the
obligate host of coffee rust, that is,
the rust must have access to and
come into physical contact with
coffee (Coffea sp.) in order to
survive.
19th century
– Dr. Copeland published results on coconut bud rot
[ Phytophthora palmivora] Butler in 1908, that started
phytopathological work in the Philippines; Copeland
was the first dean of the UP college of Agriculture
which was established in 1908.

– C.B. Robinson (1911) reported leaf blight of corn

– C Baker (1912) observed downy mildew of corn

Bud rot- is an
important and fatal
disease of coconut. The
disease is seen mainly
in palms below 25
years. The infection
starts as brown spots
on tender leaves.
14. Dean of Filipino Plant Pathologist who
discovered the viral disease of abaca.
a. Reinking
b. Exconde
c. Needham
d. Ocfemia
15. Who is the Father of Modern Plant
Pathology?
a. Tillet
b. De bary
c. Kuhn
d. Needham
• Reinking (1918) assisted by students of plant pathology published “The
Philippines Economic Plant Disease” describing the symptoms, causes and
control of various diseases. Reinking was the first Department Head of Plant
Pathology created in 1917.

• G.O. Ocfemia- Dept. of Head Plant Pathology from 1933- 1955 investigated the
nature and cause of bunchy top of Abaca (virus) and earned the title as Dean
of Filipino Plant Pathologist.

• “The Philippines Phytopathological Society was established in 1963 and since

1965 has maintained the scientific Journal of the Philippine Phytopathology.

• O.R. Exconde and co-workers (1978) completely controlled corn Downy Mildew
by seed Treatment using (RIDO MIL).
Bunchy Top Corn Downy Mildew
• Tillet (1755) – Worked on Smut and Bunts of
Wheat

• Needham(1743) – Worked on Ear Cokel

Disease of Wheat

• Anton de Bary (1831-1888) – Worked on Late

Blight of Potato. “Father of Modern Plant
Pathology”
Julius Kuhn (1858) – Write first book of Plant Pathology entitled
“Disease of Cultivated Crops Their Causes And Their Control”

Mayer (1886) – Worked on Tobacco Mosaic caused by Virus

Doi et. al. (1967) – First time reported that Yellows Disease is caused by
Mycoplasma
16. When the brown leaf spot disease in
rice/Bengal famine discovered?
a. 1918
b. 1943
c. 1956
d. 1938
 IMPORTANT EVENTS IN PLANT PATHOLOGY
875 AD - Ergot poisoning in Europe, Acquired from eating bread made from

infected rye grains

1845-46 - Late Blight of Potato/Irish famine

1867 - Coffee Rust in Sri Lanka

1869 - Coffee Rust in Southern India

1918-19 - Brown Leaf Spot of Rice in Delta of

Krishana & Godawari rivers

1938-39 - Red Rot of Sugarcane

1943 - Brown leaf spot of rice/Bengal famine

1956-57 -Rusts in Bihar, India

 PLANT DISEASES IN THE
PHILIPPINES CAUSED ENORMOUS
ECONOMIC LOSSES
17. What is the Causal agent of Downy Mildew?
a. Peronosclerospora philippinensis
b. Magnaporthe grisea
c. Colletotrichum glocosporoides
d. Hemileia vastatrix
• CADANG-CADANG DISEASES OF COCONUT- 1st
observed in 1918; have caused the country a loss
of over 200 million dollars
• DOWNY MILDEW OF CORN- the nemesis of corn;
loss can be as hign as 95% amountin to over 170
million annually; caused by the fungus
Peronosclerospora philippinensis;
- Now controlled by chemical seed treatment
using metalaxyl; discovered in 1978
• RICE TUNGRO DISEASES- affected 70,000 has in
1971; 1.2M cavans rough rice lost valued at
30M

• CITRUS DECLINE- Destroyed coffee plantations

in Batangas
18. Which of the following is not types of
Mycotoxin

a. Aflatoxin
b. Fumonisin
c. Ochratoxin
d. Oxytosin
Mycotoxin production by the fungus can
only occur in the presence of a host that
will provide nutrients and an environment
favorable for the growth of the fungus.
Mycotoxin Fungi associated

Aflatoxin Aspergillus flavus, A. parasiticus

Fumonisin Fusarium moniliforme, F. proliferatum

Deoxynivalenol (DON) F. graminearum

Zearalenone F. graminearum, F. culmorum, F. poae

Penicillium verrucosum, Aspergillus

Ochratoxins
ochraceus
19. An organism which depends fully or partly
on another living organism for its food.

a. Pathogen
b. Commensalism
c. Parasite
d. All of the above
20. Is the capability of a pathogen to cause a
disease into the susceptible host.
a. Pathogenicity
b. Pathogenesis
c. Virulence
d. Aggresiveness
21. It refers to the plant that is being attacked by
a parasite.
a. Host
b. Saprophyte
c. Suscept
d. Virulence
 Definitions and Terminology in Plant Pathology

1. Pathogen- any agent that caused a disease. However,

it is used to refer to a living organism such as fungus,
bacteria that causes disease.
2. Parasite- an organism which depends fully or partly
on another living organism for its food.
3. Saprophyte- an organism that lives on dead organic or
inorganic matter.
Example of Saprophyte

MUSHROOM
7. Host- in Plant Pathology refers to the plant that is
being attacked by a parasite. A food relationship
between the host and parasite is implied.
8. Suscept- is the plant that is susceptible to a
specific disease.
9. Pathogenicity- is the capability of a pathogen to
cause a disease where as pathogenesis refers to
the disease development.
10. Virulence- refers to the quantitative amount of
disease that an isolate of a given pathogen can
cause in a group of plants.
11. Aggressiveness- measures the rate at which
virulence is expressed by a given isolate.
Example of Suscept
• Acording to American Phytopathological
Society and British Mycological Society:
“Disease is a malfunctioning process which is
caused by some continuous irritation in which
result some suffering producing symptoms”
PLANT DISEASES
Plant disease is an impairment of normal state of
a plant that interrupts or modifies its vital
functions.
A plant disease can also be defined as any
problem with the plant that leads to a reduction
in yield or appearance.
Many plant diseases are caused by
pathogens ,disease causing agents are called
pathogens.
A plant may be said to be diseased, when there is
a harmful deviation from normal functioning of
IMPORTANCE OF PLANT DISEASE

Losses caused by different pest in crops

PEST LOSS (%)

Weed 33
Diseases 26
Insects 20
Storage pests 7
Rodents 6
Others 8
Total 100
CLASSIFICATION OF PATHOGENS
 CLASSIFICATION OF PLANT
DISEASES BASED ON CAUSAL
AGENTS
PLANT
DISEASE

NON-
INFECTIOUS
INFECTIOU
S
NON INFECTIOUS PLANT DISEASES
They are not associated with any animate or viral
pathogen , so they cannot be transmitted from
an infected plant to a healthy one.
These are due to disturbances in the plant body
caused by lack of certain inherent qualities , by
improper environmental conditions of soil and air &
by mechanical influences.
 Examples: 1)Low/high temperature,2)
unfavourable oxygen levels ,3) unfavourable water
levels, 4) hail , 5)wind, 6)air pollution toxicity etc.
 High temperature Unfavourable Oxygen levels

Unfavourable Water levels Hail

 Air Pollution Toxicity

Lightning Injury

Wind Damage
INFECTIOUS PLANT DISEASES
These are the diseases caused by pathogenic
organisms or viruses under a set of environmental
conditions.
Fungi , bacteria , viruses , nematodes & even some
plants can be pathogens. They obtain nutrients,
water & everything they need to reproduce from their
host.
Fungal & viral pathogens cause many plant
diseases; bacterial & nematode pathogens cause a
few.
Some pathogens can infect several kinds of
plants; others require a specific type of host.
Pathogens such as fungi & bacteria differ in
CONDITIONS NECESSARY FOR
PATHOGENIC DISEASES
 In order for a pathogenic plant disease to occur,
three conditions must be met:
1. The host plant must be susceptible.
2. An active , living pathogen must be present.
3. The environment must be suitable or favourable
for disease development.
 All three factors must occur simultaneously. If
one factor is absent or unfavourable , disease does
not occur.
The more the circles overlap , the more severe will
be the disease.
Environmental factors such as temperature, light ,
or moisture can accentuate diseases.
DISEASE CYCLE
The sequence of events from a pathogen’s survival to
plant disease development and back to pathogen
cycle is called the disease cycle, or the pathogen’s life
history.
By understanding the disease cycle – chain of events
that contribute to a disease – we can find the
weakest links and take measures to break the cycle.
Most pathogens must survive a period of adverse
conditions , usually winter , when they do not
actively cause disease.
The host plant is infected or continues to be
infected by pathogen’s overwintered disease-
transmitting substance , inoculum , in the spring.
22. What injury in plants when the temperature
is below zero
a. Sunscald Injury
b. Chilling Injury
c. Freezing Injury
d. None of the above
NON-PARASITIC AGENTS OF PLANT
DISEASES
SYMPTOMS OF FUNGAL
DISEASES
 FUNGI
• Grow as tubular filaments called hyphae
• Disperse themselves by releasing spore
• They are heterothropic
 Signs of Fungal Diseases
• Mycelia
• Spores
• Fruiting bodies
• Chlorosis
• Anthranose
23. A known non-spore forming fungi is _____
a. Fusarium
b. Aspergillus
c. Rhizoctonia
d. Pyricularia
24. The asexual stage of fungi is also known as
the ____________.
a. Pleomorph Stage
b. Anamorph Stage
c. Teliomorph stage
d. Holomorph stage
Pleomorph Stage- Malignant/ Not stage of Fungi
Teliomorph stage- Sexual Reproductive stage
Holomorph stage- The whole stage of fungus
1) Mildews : White , grey ,brownish ,or purplish
patches of varying sizes on leaves ,
herbaceous stems or fruits.

Powdery
Downy
Mildew
mildews
2) Rusts: relatively small
pustules of spores ,
usually breaking through
the host epidermis.

Rusts
 3) Smuts: In plant diseases
known as smuts , the
affected parts of the plant
show a purplish black or
black dusty mass.
White
Blisters

4) White blisters: White

blister-like pustules which
break open & expose
Smuts powdery mass of spores.
5) Scab : Scab refers to a roughened or
crest-like lesion or to a freckled
appearance of a diseased organ.
6) Sclerotia :
Sclerotium is a
compact, often hard
mass of dormant
fungal mycelium.
Sclerotia are most
often black. They may
be sometimes buff or
dark brown or
purplish in colour.
 7) Blotch : It is a superficial
growth giving the fruits a
blotched appearance as in sooty
blotch & fly-speck disease of
apple fruits.

Blotch
SYMPTOMS OF BACTERIAL
DISEASES
 BACTERIA
-Prokaryotic microorganism; Largest group; no well-
defined nucleus and nuclear membrane
- Typically one-celled
- Have a unit membrane and rigid cell wall
- Reproduce asexually by binary fission
- They are Rod-shaped, aerobic, Flagellated, Gram
negative and Non-spore forming
25. Which of the following is an example of
spore forming and anaerobic bacteria?
a. Streptomyces
b. Corynebacterium
c. Clostridium
d. Ralstonia
Streptomyces spp.- filamentous like a mold but
their biochemical and physiological properties
like bacteria
Corynebacterium- gram positive
Bacillus- Rod shape
1) Exudations: In several bacterial diseases, such as
bacterial blight of paddy & fire blight of pome-
fruits, masses of bacteria ooze out from the
affected organ & appear on the surface as drops
or smears.

Fire Blight
  1) Colour Changes : Discoloration ofthe plant , or
change of colour from normal colour.
 Example :
1) Chlorosis : Green → Yellow
2) Albinism : Green → Colourless
3) Chromosis : Green → Red , purple orange

Chlorosis
26. It is an abnormal increase in the size of one or
more organs of the plant or certain portions of it.
a. Overgrowth
b. Hypertrophy
c. Hyperplasia
d. Overdevelopment
27. Abnormal increase in the size of a plant
organ due to increase in the number of cells
a. Overgrowth
b. Hypertrophy
c. Hyperplasia
d. Overdevelopment
2) Overgrowth: Abnormal increase in the size of one
or more organs of the plant or certain portions of it.
This is usually the result of stimulation of the host
tissues for excessive growth. It may be due
Hyperplasia or Hypertrophy.
Overdevelopment may result from
Hyperplasia: Abnormal increase in the size of a
plant organ due to increase in the number of cells. :
Hypertrophy: Increased size of the organ due to
increased size of cells.
3) Atrophy or hypoplasia: Here inhibition of
growth occurs , resulting in stunting or dwarfing.
Dwarfing results from atrophy or hypoplasia. Atrophy
is degeneration of cells and organs, where as
hypoplasia is the abnormal decrease in the size of
cells & organs.
28. A disease in Soybean that may caused death
of plant cells in the leaves usually turns brown to
black in color
a. Wilt
b. Blight
c. Curling
d. Necrosis
29. A yellowing caused by some factor other
than light, such as by a virus mycoplasma
a. Necrosis
b. Chlorosis
c. Chlorophylosis
d. Mottling
4) Necrosis : It is the death of tissues &


organs due to parasitic activity. Necrotic

symptoms are highly variable.

Necrosis
 5)Wilts : It is the drying or wilting of the entire plant. The
leaves & other green or succulent parts lose their turgidity,
becomes flaccid &droop. This effect is usually seen first in
some of the leaves.
6) Die-back : It is the dying of plant organs,
especially stem or branches , backwards from
the tip.
30. What Principle of Plant disease control is
exemplified when one is required to leave at the
airport the planting materials carried from
abroad
a. Exclusion
b. Eradication
c. Immunization
d. Protection
PLANT DISEASE CONTROL

Control
measures

Exclusion Eradication Protection Immunization

1)EXCLUSION
 This method includes quarantines, inspections
& certification.
These techniques prevent movement of diseased
plant material into a particular country , state , or
geographical area where the disease doesn’t exist. E.g.:
Agricultural Inspection Station in California.
Quarantines are regulations forbidding sale
or shipment of plants or plant parts.
2) PROTECTION
If a disease doesn’t occur in your area , you may be
able to avoid its development on your plants.
Planting certified , virus-free stock is a good way
to avoid viral diseases.
Root rots can be avoided by not planting in
heavy poorly drained soils.
Delaying planting until soils are dry & warm can
avoid damping-off of vegetable seeds.
Avoid wounding plants when pruning or using
equipment , as wounds can be the entry points
for pathogens or can weaken the plant so that it
cannot defend itself.
Use good horticultural practices, such as proper
fertility , pruning , watering to ward off
3)ERADICATION
Rotation , sanitation , elimination of alternate hosts ,
chemical application & heat treatment are eradication
methods , when a plant is infected or an area is
infested with a pathogen.
Crop Rotation : It is common in both commercial &
home gardens , involving planting of different crops
in a given location
each year. It can reduce soil populations of fungi &
nematodes.
I. To practice rotation you need to know the
pathogen & which plants are its hosts.
II. Rotation works only if you plant non-hosts.
IMMUNIZATION : Removing plant debris , is
important where pathogens may
overwinter.
I. Rake leaves , remove rotted fruit , pick up old vines
& prune out dead wood or canes.
II. Dispose of the debris by burning burying or
hot composting.
 ELIMINATION OF ALTERNATE HOSTS :
Certain
pathogens complete their life cycle on two or more
hosts (E.g.: Rusts) only one of which may be a crop
plant. Eliminating alternate hosts may reduce pressure
from these diseases , Since such pathogens cannot
complete their life cycle without the alternate host.
Infections & Infestations can be prevented by
certain chemicals . Some fungicides also have
“kickback” action.
Certain fungi & nematodes can be reduced
by fumigating or steam sterilizing the
soil.
Heat treatment is usually used to eliminate
viruses from propagation material.
 Steam
treatment of
soil

Solarization
 PROTECTION
It means treating a healthy plant before it becomes
diseased , both chemical & biological means are
available. Eg: Use of a bacterium as a protection
from Crown Gall disease.
Chemical Protection is a common technique
which involves Fungicides.
RESISTANCE
Resistance , immunity , tolerance & susceptibility are the terms
that describe a plant’s genetic makeup & its reaction to plant
pathogens.

Resistance & its opposite , susceptibility , are levels or

degrees of a plant’s reaction to a pathogen.

If a plant never becomes diseased , the term immune is used.

The word tolerant describes a plant which may become diseased yet
grow much like a healthy plant.

Planting resistant cultivars is the easiest means of disease

control.
LEAF MOSAIC OF TAPIOCA
Also known as cassava mosaic disease, a viral disease
, wide-spread in Kerala , India , Africa & other
Tropical countries.
Caused by Tapioca/Cassava mosaic virus, transmitted
by White fl y (Bemisia tabaci)
Leaves of plants affected by CMV are often withered
& small & have patches that are light green or yellow.
When Cassava has CMV badly , so it doesn’t
photosynthesize well so the carbohydrate yield
from the roots is greatly reduced.
Initially the affected leaves show mosaic mottling.
At a later stage , it causes distortion & malformation
of leaf blade & also stunted growth of the plant.
Control Measures
Spraying insecticides .
Burning of infected parts.
Altered cultural practices , such as changing
the planting season.
Selection of disease resistant varieties.
CITRUS CANKER
Caused by pathotypes or variants of Xanthomonas
axonopodis pv. citri, a quarantine pest. Probably
originated in India or Southeast Asia & is now
present in 30 countries.In tropical & sub-tropical
countries where there is plenty of rainfall with warm
temperature.

It is mainly a leaf spotting & rind-blemishing disease

, but under favorable conditions defoliation , fruit
die-back & fruit drop occur.
BLAST DISEASE OF PADDY
Caused by the fungus , Pyricularia grisea Sacc.The
teleomorph , Magnaporthe grisea, has not been
found in nature but is known to occur in laboratory
culture.
Leaf lesions begin as small whitish , greyish or
bluish spots. They enlarge quickly under moist ,
warm conditions to oval spots.
In case of severe or multiple infections , lesions
may coalesce covering most of the leaf blades .
 COLLAR ROT : It occurs due to infection at the
junction between the leaf blade & sheath
resulting in a brown to dark brown lesion.
NECK ROT: Neck rot or rotten neck blast phase
is caused by infection of the neck node.
The infected tissue often turns dark brown to black
& shrivels causing the stem to break.
Panicles turn straw coloured & are either completely
or partially blanked. Often they break & their heads
falls off to the ground.
NODE BLAST : Lesions on the stem nodes causes
the tissue to turn blackish & shrivel as the plant
approaches maturity.
The infected area becomes dark purple or blue
grey due to conidia production.
Culms & leaves become straw coloured & then
die above the infected node.
Control Measures
Requires an integrated approach including
resistant cultivars , cultural practices & fungicides.
Destruction of infested residues
Use of non-infested seed, fl ood avoidance &
avoidance of N fertilizers have limited the spread of
the disease.
Quadries is used as a protectant against the neck
rot phase.
THANK YOU