Vivekanand Ashram’s
Vivekanand Agriculture College
Vivekanand Nagar, Hiwara Bk., Tq. Mehkar, Dist. Buldana-443301
Affiliated to Dr.Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola
College Code : 11144 Intake Capacity : 120
College Code : 11144 Intake Capacity : 120
Plant Pathology is the branch of agricultural science that focuses on the study, diagnosis, and management of plant diseases caused by various pathogens such as fungi, bacteria, viruses, phytoplasmas, and nematodes. It also includes non-infectious (abiotic) disorders caused by environmental stress, nutrient deficiencies, or toxic substances. The primary goal of plant pathology is to protect crops from diseases that reduce yield, quality, and overall productivity, thereby ensuring food security and economic stability for farmers.
Etiology (Cause of Disease): Understanding the specific pathogen responsible for the disease, whether fungal, bacterial, viral, or nematode-related.
Pathogenesis (Mechanism of Disease Development): Studying how pathogens infect plants, their mode of entry, colonization, and the biochemical changes they trigger in host tissues.
Symptomatology: Identifying and classifying the visible symptoms of plant diseases such as leaf spots, wilting, blights, rots, galls, chlorosis, and necrosis, which aid in early detection and diagnosis.
Disease Cycle & Epidemiology: Investigating the life cycle of the pathogen, its sources of survival, and modes of dissemination (e.g., wind, water, insects, soil), as well as environmental factors that influence disease outbreak.
Host-Pathogen Interaction: Analyzing the complex interaction between the crop plant and the pathogen, including plant defense mechanisms and pathogen virulence factors.
