4.3.3.1 detection and identification of plant diseases

• How can plant diseases be detected?

  • Stunted growth
  • Spots on leaves
  • Areas of decay (rot)
  • growths
  • malformed stems or leaves
  • discolouration
  • the presence of pests
• How can identification of plant diseases be made?

  • reference to a gardening manual or website
  • taking infected plants to a laboratory to identify the pathogen
  • using testing kits that contain monoclonal antibodies
• how can plants be damaged?

  by a range of ion deficiency conditions
• what ion deficiency conditions are there?

  • stunted growth caused by nitrate deficiency
  • chlorosis caused by magnesium deficiency
• what ions does a plant need?

  nitrate and magnesium ions
• why does a plant need nitrate ions?

  for protein synthesis and therefore growth
• why does a plant need magnesium ions?

  to make chlorophyll