Detection and identification of plant diseases

• Plant diseases can be detected by:

  • stunted growth
  • spots on leaves
  • areas of decay (rot)
  • growths
  • malformed stems or leaves
  • discolouration
  • the presence of pests
• Ways of identifying plant diseases

  • looking at gardening manuals or websites
  • taking samples of infected plants to a lab to identify pathogens
  • using disease testing kit that works by using monoclonal antibodies
• • Aphids are small insects that are plant pests
  • aphids feed on the sap of plants, which affects the growth of the plants
• Ways of treating aphid infestation

  • using pesticides
  • using aphid predators
• Symptom of nitrate deficiency in plants

  Stunted growth
• Symptom of magnesium deficiency in plants

  Chlorosis: yellowing leaves
• Plants can be affected by a range of viral (TMV), bacterial, fungal (rose black spot) pathogens, as well as by insects (aphids)
• • Nitrate ions are needed for protein synthesis and therefore growth
  • magnesium ions are needed to make chlorophyll