Alternaria Diseases of Crucifers: Biology, Ecology and Disease Management

This book deals with the various aspects viz., the disease, geographical distribution, symptoms on different hosts, host range, yield losses, and disease assessment method, while detailed description on pathogen include taxonomic position, phylogeny, variability, sporulation, perpetuation, and spore germination, host-parasite interactions in the form of seed infection, disease cycle, process of infection, and pathogenesis, epidemiology, forecasting, fine structures, biochemical changes, and phytotoxins, host defence mechanism, techniques to study host-parasite relationships, and management practices including cultural, chemical, biological control practices, and deployment of host resistance. The last section deals with gaps in our understanding, and knowledge about management of these diseases, techniques for the diagnosis of disease and offer suggestions for future research priorities. Each aspect has been vividly illustrated with photographs, histograms, figures, tables, electron micrographs for stimulating, effective and easy reading and understanding. We are sure that this comprehensive encyclopaedic treatise on "Alternaria diseases of crucifers" will be of immense use to the researchers, teachers, students and all others who are interested in the diagnosis and management of Alternaria diseases of crucifers world over. Four species of Alternaria are wide spread and most devastating on cruciferous oil yielding crops, vegetables, forage crops, ornamental plants, and numerous weeds all over the world. The damage to the plants is in the form of infections on seed in the soil during sowing, on seedlings during emergence and growth, on stem, leaves, inflorescence, pods and finally to the seed causing yield losses in seed quantity and quality.