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Plant diseases are diseases in plants caused by pathogens (infectious organisms) and environmental conditions (physiological factors). [1] Organisms that cause infectious disease include fungi , oomycetes , bacteria , viruses , viroids , virus -like organisms, phytoplasmas , protozoa , nematodes and parasitic plants . [ 2 ]
Plants can show many signs or physical evidence of fungal, viral or bacterial infections. This can range from rusts or molds to not showing anything at all when a pathogen invades the plant (occurs in some viral diseases in plants). [9] Symptoms which are visible effects of diseases on the plant consist of changes in color, shape or function. [9]
Hypersensitive response (HR) is a mechanism used by plants to prevent the spread of infection by microbial pathogens.HR is characterized by the rapid death of cells in the local region surrounding an infection and it serves to restrict the growth and spread of pathogens to other parts of the plant.
Plant disease resistance is the ability of a plant to prevent and terminate infections from plant pathogens. Structures that help plants prevent pathogens from entering are the cuticular layer, cell walls, and stomata guard cells.
A plant line with acceptable resistance against one pathogen may lack resistance against others. Breeding for resistance typically includes: Identification of plants that may be less desirable in other ways, but which carry a useful disease resistance trait, including wild plant lines that often express enhanced resistance.
Resistance to sugarcane smut is the best course of action for management, but also the use of disease free seed is important. On smaller scale operations treatments using hot water and removing infected plants can be effective. The main mode of spore dispersal is the wind but the disease also spreads through the use of infected cuttings.
Infections begin when a spore lands on the plant surface, germinates, and invades its host. Infection is limited to plant parts such as leaves, petioles, tender shoots, stem, fruits, etc. [ 3 ] Plants with severe rust infection may appear stunted, chlorotic (yellowed), or may display signs of infection such as rust fruiting bodies.
The bacteria need a film of water to facilitate infection. The bacteria can also be transmitted from one plant to another when beetles feed on an infected plant and the bacteria becomes attached to the beetles mouthparts. [4] The bacteria Ralstonia solanacearum and related species cause bacterial wilt of bananas and plantains. [5]