Diseases of Field Crop

Overview of Plant Pathology:

Agents causing plant diseases
 DEFINITION
Plant disease – an impairment of the normal state of a
plant that interrupts or modifies its vital functions.
Or
“ A malfunctioning process that is caused by
continuous irritation and produce symptoms’’.
The organisms that cause disease are called pathogen.
E.g. bacteria, fungi, viruses and protozoa etc.
The study of disease condition is called pathology,
also known as phytopathology
 Difference between healthy and diseased plant

HEALTHY PLANT SICK /DISEASED

• Normal physiological PLANT
functions including • A plant would not have
• Normal cell division, all of these functions
differentiation and
development
• Absorption of water and
minerals from the soil and
translocation
• Photosynthesis
• Reproduction
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
physiological processes.
CLASSIFICATION OF PATHOGENS
Classification of plant disease
Plant disease are classified on the basis of various parameters:
1. On the basis of the nature of the causal agent:
Non- infectious disease\non parasitic disease:
• This type of diseases is caused by non-living organisms.
• Could not be spread to others.
• They are induced by unfavorable environmental condition of soil or air such as
mineral
deficiencies or excesses in the soil, low or high temperatures, improper water,
oxygen and
light relation. May also be caused by air pollution, nutrient deficiency, mineral
toxicity, etc.These diseases may also be caused by mechanical injuries.
• Example- blossom and rot of potatoes, blank heart of potatoes, scald of apples.
2] Infectious disease\Parasitic disease:
• These are caused by the attack of some living agents called pathogens. The
causal agents may be a plant or an animal or a virus.
• It can spread from diseased to healthy plants.
• In the case of a disease caused by a parasitic organism the diseased plant is
called a host.
• The pathogen may subsist in whole or in part upon the living tissue of the host.
• Biotic factors like fungi, bacteria, algae, nematodes, viruses etc. are the causing
agents.
2. On the basis of host plant
• Cereal disease
• Vegetable disease
• Fruit disease
• Forest disease
• Ornamental disease
3. On the basis of perpetuation of spread
a] Soil-borne diseases- pathogen survive in soil or on infested plant debris present on the
soil either as their resting spores or as mycelial strands and rhizomorphs. E.g. Root rot, wilt
and seedling blight.

b] Seed-borne diseases-the microorganisms are carried along with seeds. E.g. damping off.

c] Airborne diseases- the microorganisms are spread through air. e.g. blight, rust, powdery
mildew
4. On the basis of occurrence and geographic distribution
1] Endemic disease: • A disease which is regularly present in a certain region or
a part of a region (district) in a moderate to severe from is referred to as
endemic. • E.g. wart disease in potato.
2] Epidemic [Epiphytotic] disease:
• Epiphytotic is term applied to the infectious plant disease which spread
widely but occur periodically. •
The causal agent may be regularly present in the locality but the environment
favorable for its rapid development occurs only periodically. • The epiphytotic
diseases are thus very responsive to variation in the environment.
E.g. rust, late blight, mildews.
3] Sporadic disease:
• They are plant disease which occur only here or there at irregular intervals
and in relatively few instances. • A given disease may be endemic in one region
and epidemic in another. • E.g. leaf blight, wilt.
5. On the basis of extent of infection
1] Localized diseases - affecting only a part of the plant,
limited to a definite area .

2]. Systemic diseases- pathogen spreads throughout the

plant body and is associated with almost every
stage of plants life cycle.
6. On the basis of pathogen generations
1] Monocyclic disease\Simple interest disease - those diseases
which have only generation in one cropping season
E.g. loose smut of wheat.

2] Polycyclic disease\Compound interest disease - those

diseases which have. more than one generation in a cropping
season.
E.g. late blight of potato.

3] Polyetic disease- these are also polycyclic disease but

complete their disease cycle in more than one year or above.
E.g. Cedar apple rust.
7. On the basis of organ the
pathogens attack
1] Root disease.
2] Shoot disease.
3] fruit disease
4] foliage disease.
8. On the basis of symptoms
• Rust- caused by Basidiomycetes of the order Uredinales. e.g. stem rust of wheat,
caused by Puccinia graminis.
• Smuts- caused by a fungus of the order Ustilaginales e.g. loose smut of wheat, caused
byUstilago nuda tritici.
• Rots- disease that infect underground part, caused by bacteria, fungi, or nematodes,
Rhizoctonia is root rot.
• Blight- It is a rapid and complete chlorosis and death of plant tissue, e.g. late blight
disease of potato by Phytopthora infestans.
• Leaf spot- caused by fungi and bacteria, e.g. Bacterial leaf spot is commonly caused by
Xanthomonas campestris.
• Canker- It is a dead area, e.g. citrus canker.
• Wilt-it affects vascular system of plants, e.g. Bacterial wilt of cucurbits caused by
Erwinia tracheiphila.
Agrobacterium vitis
Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. savastanoi
CLASSIFICATION OF PLANT
DISEASES BASED ON
CAUSAL
AGENTS
PLANT
DISEASE

NON-
INFECTIOUS
INFECTIO
US
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 inf luences.

 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 their
ability to survive , spread & reproduce.
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
 Mostand take measures
pathogens to breaka the
must survive cycle.
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
SYMPTOMS OF FUNGAL
DISEASES
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.
4) White blisters:
White blister-like
pustules which break
open & expose
powdery mass of
spores.

White
Smuts Blisters
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 & f ly-speck disease of
apple fruits.

Blotch
 8)Fruiting bodies: They
are large, f leshy or woody,
spore bearing structures,
developed by wood-
rotting fungi.
9) Tar spots : These are somewhat raised, black-coated
fungal bodies with the appearance of a f lattened drop of
tar on the leaf.

Tar spots
SYMPTOMS OF BACTERIAL
DISEASES
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
Exudations
 SYMPTOMS DUE TO SOME
EFFECT ON THE HOST
PLANT
 Diseases cause marked changes in the form , size ,
colour , texture , attitude or habit of the plant or some
of its organs.
 Two or more of these changes may occur in the same
host organ as effects of the same disease.
 These changes result from the presence & activity
of some pathogenic organisms & also from the
reaction of the host tissues against them.

 The pathogen may be found within the affected tissues

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

Chlorosis
 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.
 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.
 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 f laccid &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.
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) AVOIDANCE
 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 heav y
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 infections.
 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.
 SANITATION: 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.

 Infection occurs primarily through stomata,other

natural openings & wounds.
 A combination of rain & wind increases the potential
for the disease to spread.
Control Measures
 Use of disease free nursery stock for planting.
 Spraying 1 % Bordeaux mixture before planting.
 In addition , Pruning of affected twigs in old orchards.
 Dropped off canker-affected leaves or twigs should be
collected & burnt.
 Use of fertilizers & proper irrigation.
 Minimize the attack of leaf miners.
 Plant disease resistant variety.
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, f lood avoidance & avoidance
of N fertilizers have limited the spread of the disease.
 Quadries is used as a protectant against the neck rot
phase.
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