PLANT DISEASE 101 Shannon Carmody

WHAT IS CAUSING YOUR

PLANT PROBLEM?
Biotic: living or biological
• Pests
• Fungi
• Bacteria
• Nematodes
• Viruses
• Other: parasitic higher plants,
mollicutes, and protozoa
WHAT IS CAUSING YOUR
PLANT PROBLEM?
Abiotic: non-living or physical

• Too much or lack of water

• Extreme temperatures, humidity, light,
water
• Nutritional toxicities or deficiencies
• Chemical injury
• Mechanical injury
 THE DISEASE
TRIANGLE Susceptible
Host
Conducive
When these 3 elements occur, environment
plant disease can develop.
Reducing just one of these Disease
elements helps you manage
disease or reduce the potential
amount of disease.

Virulent
Pathogen
WHAT SHOULD I DO WHEN I
HAVE SICK PLANTS?
Diagnosis
Use online resources, extension bulletins,
compendia, and other resources:
•PNW Vegetable Extension Group:
www.mtvernon.wsu.edu/path_team/veg
path_team.htm

•PNW Plant Disease Mgmt. Handbook:

www.pnwhandbooks.org
•American Phytopathological Society:
www.apsnet.org
WHAT SHOULD I DO
WHEN I HAVE SICK
PLANTS?
Submit a sample to a diagnostic lab
• Private labs
• WSU Puyallup Plant Clinic (Jenny Glass)
• WSU Northwestern Washington Research and
Extension Center
• Entomology
• Plant Disease
• Weed Science
• Horticulture
• Livestock
• Skagit County Extension

• Other experts in the valley

CONSIDER THE DISEASE
TRIANGLE WHEN
TAKING SAMPLES

Provide basic crop information:

• Age • Weather
• Size • Soil
• Cultivar • Cultural
practices
• Location
• Pest
• Exposure management
history
CONSIDER THE
DISEASE TRIANGLE
WHEN TAKING
SAMPLES
Ask these 5 questions:
1. What was the timing of your plant problem?
2. Is more than one plant species affected?
3. How is the field affected on a macro level?
4. How is the plant affected on a micro level?
5. What symptoms and/or signs can you
observe?
WHAT WAS THE
TIMING OF YOUR
PLANT PROBLEM?
• When did symptoms first appear?
• How quickly did symptoms develop?
• Are symptoms progressing or are they
static or declining?
• What has happened recently, or in the
past, in this area?
IS MORE THAN ONE
PLANT SPECIES What does this tell you
about your plant problem?
AFFECTED?
HOW IS THE FIELD AFFECTED
ON A MACRO LEVEL?
FIELD DISTRIBUTION Linear and repetitive
OF SYMPTOMS:
Photos by Dr. Lindsey du Toit
mtvernon.wsu.edu/path_team/vegp
ath_team.htm
FIELD DISTRIBUTION Individual and random
OF SYMPTOMS:
BEET CURLY TOP VIRUS Photos by Dr. Lindsey du Toit
(BCTV) mtvernon.wsu.edu/path_team/ve

LEAFHOPPER VECTOR gpath_team.htm

FIELD DISTRIBUTION Edge of field, diffuse
OF SYMPTOMS:
Iris yellow spot
virus in onion
bulb and seed
crops

Vector = onion
thrips

Photo by M. Trent
FIELD DISTRIBUTION Hot spots: diffuse or sharp

OF SYMPTOMS: borders
Stubby root nematode
Photos by Gary Pelter