CONTENTS:- 1. Introduction. 2. Environmental effects on plant growth. 3. Biological control of plant pathogens. 4. Overview of root and tuber crops. 5. The role of pathogens in natural diseases control. 6. Viruses as biological control agents of insect pests. 7. Overview of cover crops and green manures.
DESCRIPTION
Plant Pathology is the scientific study of plant disease caused by pathogens (infectious diseases) and environmental conditions (physiological factors). Organisms that cause infectious disease include fungi, oomycetes, bacteria, viruses, viroids, virus-like organisms, phytoplamas, protozoa, nematodes and parasitic plants. Not included are ectoparasites like insects, mites, vertebrate or other pests that affect plant health by consumption of plant tissues. Plant pathology also involves the study of pathogen identification, disease etiology, disease cycles, economic impact, plant disease epidemiology, plant disease resistance, how plant diseases affect humans and animals, pathosystem genetics and management of plant diseases. The majority of phytopathogenic fungi belong to the Ascomycetes and the Basidiomycetes. This book has been formatted to cover several aspects of plant pathology to cater to the need of students.