detection and identification of plant diseases

• What sort of diseases can plants get?

  Plants get viral, bacterial and fungal infections, as well as being damaged by insects.
• How can we tell if plants are diseased?

  Look for stunted growth, spots on leaves, areas of decay, growths, malformed stems or leaves, discoloured areas or the presence of pests.
• How can a disease in a plant be identified?

  Looking up the disease in a gardening book or website, or taking the infected plant to a lab where they can identify the pathogen.
• Can monoclonal antibodies be used to identify plant disease?

  Yes, testing kits are available using monoclonal antibodies for some plant diseases.
• What insects can damage plants?

  Aphids (greenfly, whitefly, blackfly) feed on the sugars in the plant phloem and can reduce plant growth. They can also spread diseases as they feed.
• What else can damage plants?

  Deficiency diseases of plants exist. If the plant does not get enough mineral ions their growth can be affected.
• What happens when a plant has a nitrate ion deficiency?

  A lack of nitrate will cause stunted growth as the plant can no longer produce enough amino acids to build proteins during protein synthesis.
• What happens when a plant has a magnesium ion deficiency?

  A lack of magnesium will cause chlorosis. Magnesium is needed to produce chlorophyll, so chlorosis is patches of yellow on leaves where chlorophyll is lacking.