Plant Diseases
“Plant diseases are abnormal conditions that negatively affect the growth, development, or function of a plant due to pathogens or environmental factors.”
What are Plant Diseases?
Plant diseases are disruptions in the normal physiological functioning of plants caused by infectious agents like fungi, bacteria, viruses, or by environmental conditions such as nutrient deficiencies, pollution, or overwatering.
Types of Plant Diseases
- 1. Fungal Diseases: Caused by fungi (e.g., rust, smut, mildew).
- 2. Bacterial Diseases: Caused by bacteria (e.g., leaf blight, canker).
- 3. Viral Diseases: Caused by viruses (e.g., mosaic disease).
- 4. Nutritional Deficiency Diseases: Caused by lack of essential nutrients (e.g., chlorosis due to iron deficiency).
Examples of Common Plant Diseases
- Rust of Wheat: Caused by Puccinia fungus – results in reddish-brown spots on wheat leaves.
- Late Blight of Potato: Caused by *Phytophthora infestans* – leads to decaying of potato tubers.
- Mosaic Disease: Caused by a virus – leads to patchy green and yellow leaves, commonly in tobacco and papaya.
- Wilt of Cotton: Caused by *Fusarium* fungus – results in drooping and death of cotton plants.
Prevention and Control
- Use of disease-resistant crop varieties
- Crop rotation and proper field sanitation
- Use of fungicides, bactericides, and bio-pesticides
- Elimination of infected plants