Microbes and Plant Diseases

Pneumocystosis is an infection by Pneumocystis jirovecii.

White piedra is mycosis of hair caused by Trichosporon beigelii fungus.

Malassezia furfur is the cause of pityriasis versicolor.

Stimulation of Th1 cells resulting in interferon production provides a specific mechanism for removal of spores.

Acute invasive aspergillosis occurs in people who have deficit immune system.

Ceratium furca blooms because of coastal eutrophication. Blooms of this species cause toxic red tides (red-brown), damage fish gills and deplete dissolved oxygen causing anoxic conditions.

Erwinia psidii is a Gram-negative bacterium and a phytopathogen of the common guava (Psidium guajava). It causes rot in branches, flowers and fruits.

Zebra chip is a recently diagnosed disease of potatoes associated with psyllid infestation and caused by species of the Gram-negative bacterium, Candidatus Liberibacter. The tubers frequently have discolouration which becomes clearer during frying of chips.

Ustiligo species causes smut of plants.

Magnaporthe grisea causes rice blast disease. Initial symptoms are white to gray-green lesions or spots with darker borders produced on all parts of the shoot, while older lesions are elliptical or spindle-shaped and whitish to gray with necrotic borders. Lesions may enlarge and coalesce to kill the entire leaf.

TMV causes mosaic disease in tobacco and tomatoes. Infection leads to internal browning of the fruit.

Erwinia tracheiphila causes wilt of cucurbitaceae. Wilt of carnation is caused by Burkholderia caryophylli.

Leafy gall disease is a bacterial disease. Rhodococcus fascians is a Gram-positive bacterial phytopathogen that causes leafy gall disease.

Stewart's wilt disease in maize is caused by Pantoea stewartii. Straw colored lesions appear on the leaf.

Cocksfoot mottle virus requires CMV's P protein for infection. The CMVP-protein interferes with RNAi pathways in Nicotiana benthamiana and Nicotiana tabacum.