Knowra Plant disease Plant disease Plant disease is a disruption of normal plant function caused by infectious organisms or unfavorable environmental conditions. It produces characteristic symptoms and can affect individual plants, crops, or ecosystems.
Plant pathogen : An organism or infectious agent that causes disease in plants. Plant pathogens are the infectious causes of disease, from fungi to viruses.
Plant disease diagnosis : The process of identifying a plant disease from symptoms, signs, and diagnostic tests. Diagnosis distinguishes infectious causes from environmental injury and guides control.
Phytophthora infestans : An oomycete pathogen that causes late blight of potato and tomato. It caused the potato late blight epidemic associated with Ireland's Great Famine.
Plant injury : Physical damage to a plant caused by events such as breakage, abrasion, or chemical exposure. Injury can resemble disease symptoms but does not necessarily involve a sustained disease process.
Crop failure : A substantial loss of crop yield caused by disease, pests, weather, or other factors. Severe plant disease can reduce harvests enough to threaten local or national food supplies.
Plant immunity : The plant's molecular and cellular defenses against pathogens and pests. Disease develops when a pathogen overcomes or evades these defenses.
Plant disease epidemiology : The study of how plant diseases spread and change across populations, places, and time. Epidemiology explains outbreaks and helps forecast crop risk.
Dutch elm disease : A vascular disease of elm trees caused by fungi in the genus Ophiostoma. Its spread devastated elm populations across Europe and North America.
Plant pest : An organism that damages plants, including insects, mites, nematodes, and vertebrates. Pests may injure plants directly, while plant disease is defined by disrupted function and can have infectious or environmental causes.
Food security : Reliable access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food for an active and healthy life. Plant disease threatens food security by lowering crop quantity and quality.
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