CROP PROTECTION 1

Principles of Crop Protection

Laboratory Exercise No. 5

PLANT DISEASE DIAGNOSIS

Name: Rey Christopher F. Iyog

WORKSHEET
A. INTRODUCTION

Important agricultural crops are threatened by a wide variety of plant diseases and pests. These
can damage crops, lower fruit and vegetable quality and wipe out entire harvests. About 42% of
the worlds total agricultural crop is destroyed yearly by diseases and pests. Farmers often must
contend with more than one pest or disease and new pesticide-resistant pathogenic strains
attacking the same crop.
However, crop losses can be minimized, and specific treatments can be tailored to combat
specific pathogens if plant diseases are correctly diagnosed and identified early. These needbased treatments also translate to economic and environmental gains,
Disease cycle refers to the sequence of events that leads to disease development in a
single plant or in plant populations. It includes the activities of the pathogen while it is on
and within the suscept as well as those while the pathogen is away from the suscept.
B. OBJECTIVES
o To be able to diagnosis important plant diseases and identify the pathogen
associated with a specific disease.
o To have an understanding of the principle techniques used in plant disease
diagnostics and have the ability to select and use the most appropriate technique
for the diagnosis.
o Students will be able to describe in oral/written form their experiences in
diagnosing an unknown plant disease

C. MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

1. Diagnosis chart
2. Magnifying glass
3. Plant host
D. PROCEDURE
1.
2.
3.
4.

Cite plant host that has a possible disease.

Collect plant samples.
Using the diagnosis chart, identify the disease/s the sample has.
Record your observations.

E. RESULTS

Powdery Mildew

Rusting

Blight

Reddening

Mosaic Virus

Leaf Spots

F. DISCUSSION
Proper plant identification. Identification of affected plants is one of the first steps in
diagnosing a plant disease. Both scientific and common names of the plant should be
noted. Common names should not be relied upon since some distinctly different plant
species may have the same common name, and the common name used in one area may
be used for a completely different species in another area.
Recognize healthy plant appearance. It is important to know the normal appearance of
the plant species you are investigating. Each plant species has special growth habits,
colors and growth rates. If you do not know what to expect of the plant you cannot
recognize when something is wrong.
Diseases also involve a progression of symptoms that can vary significantly. The
progression of symptoms is one of the most important characteristics associated with
problems caused by biotic agents. Diseases can result in primary and secondary
symptoms.
Fungal Diagnosis
One plate of a non-selective media is used. In addition if the symptoms indicate it, one plate
each of one or two selective media are used. Affected tissue is placed on the medium. In two to
seven days the plates are examined microscopically for fungal pathogens. Pathogens are usually
identified to the genus level.
Bacterial Diagnosis
The specimen is macerated and streaked on plates for bacterial growth. One non-selective and
two to three selective media plates are used. Additional physiological tests are needed for
identification, which takes two days to a week.

Turf Sample
The turf sample is examined microscopically for visible pathogenic fungal spores. It is then
plated out on one to three media for fungal growth. In two to seven days the plates are examined
microscopically for fungal pathogens. A straining technique is used to detect patch diseases.
Soil Pathogen Tests
A selective medium is used depending on the suspected pathogen. Call to make sure a soil test is
available for the desired pathogen. Plant samples are preferred to soil samples to detect a
pathogen.

G. CONCLUSION
Identifying plant diseases is important especially to us agricultural students because all of this
disease are very visible and can be found at our gardens or even outside our houses and being
able to identify them makes us more knowledgeable than other people.

H. REFERENCES
http://plantpath.osu.edu/plntpth-5685
http://isaaa.org/resources/publications/pocketk/22/default.asp
http://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/intropp/topics/Pages/PlantDiseaseDiagnosis.aspx
http://www.pdd.biz/
http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/721/#b
https://www.planetnatural.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/mosaic-virus-foliage.jpg