Diseases

Plant Attack By Insects

  • Plants can be attacked by insects such as aphids which extract nutrients from the plant stunting it’s growth

Diagnosing Plant Diseases

Look for:

  • Discolouration
  • Spots on leaves
  • Stunted growth
  • Decay
  • Growths
  • Malformed stems or leaves

Identify Plant Diseases

  • Use garden manuals or websites
  • Take to a lab to identify pathogen
  • Us testing kits containing monoclonal antibodies

Plant Ion deficiencies

Nitrate

  • Causes stunted growth
  • Needed for protein synthesis

Magnesium

  • Causes chlorosis - discolouration
  • Needed to make chlorophyll

Specific Plant Diseases

  1. Rose Black Spot: Fungus causes dark spots on rose leaves; treated with fungicides.
  2. Tobacco Mosaic Virus: Virus creates mottled leaf patterns; prevention through resistant varieties.