Basic Knowledge in Agriculture #41

INTRODUCTION

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Today, we have another chance to talk better about the matter that concerns the agriculture that feeds us. I am happy to discuss this aspect of farming that many often ignore; Plant Pathology.

Truly, farming will not be complete without the understanding of what makes plants sick. It's not just about planting and harvesting. Sometimes, a plant can grow fine today, then in the next two days, all the leaves will have turned yellow, some even begin falling, and some harvest is just wasted. What causes this? That's where Plant Pathology comes in.

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What do you understand by plant pathology

WHAT IS PLANT PATHOLOGY?

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In simple terms, Plant Pathology is the science of the study of plant diseases, what causes the disease, how it spreads, and what we can do to stop it. It can be likened to the same way a doctor checks for human diseases, but this one is for plants.

Sometimes, it may be fungus that eats the leaf, or maybe it's bacteria that rot the stem. It can still be a virus that weakens the plant from inside. And sometimes its small insects that carry disease from one plant to another. And so, Plant Pathology helps farmers know all these things before it's too late.

It involves knowing the signs like color change, leaf that gets dry for no reason, root that has softened or even decayed. Once a farmer knows that something is wrong and it causes, He can easily find quick solutions, before things get out of hand.

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Discuss the importance of plant pathology

Why does Plant Pathology Matter

You might ask,

"why is it important I learn Plant Pathology?"

To say the truth, it is the survival of your crops and business be that. It will help you save money, time, and stress.

Let me break it down:

1. It helps prevent crop loss: If a farmer does not have the knowledge of plant pathology, he may likely harvest half of what he is supposed to harvest because disease would have taken half of the fam.
   That's a big issue, because money and time would have gone to waste.

2. It helps for early detection: Just a like person can know where his headache comes from, a farmer with a knowledge of pathology will be able to detect small signs and stop disease faster.
   As the popular saying;
   "It is better to stop a fire when it is small than when it would have burnt the whole house."

3. It gives a guide for pesticide usage: Many farmers just use chemicals anyhow once they see a small problem. But with good knowledge of plant pathology, you would know what to use and how to use it.
   Not every leaf that curls means you should spray something, sometimes it might just be as a result of the weather conditions.

4. It increases yield: A healthy plant would give better harvest. If you control disease well, you would harvest well from your farm.
   It's a healthy plant that gives plenty of fruit.

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Real Life Example

In my area, I have seen many farmers cry because their cassava farms just turned black all of a sudden. An indigene even said that it is witches that disturb the farm. But when they contacted an extension officer, they found out that fungus had been attacking the stem and roots. Just small wet ground and poor spacing gave the disease chance to spread.

The moment they started to space the plant well, burnt infected stems, and stopped using the same tools for sick and healthy plants, the farm bounced back to being productive.

This real life story shows that Plant Pathology concerns everybody that does farming or even home gardening.

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What causes Plant Disease?

Diseases can come from different sources:

• From Fungi: Like powdery mildew, rust and blight.

• From Bacteria: They cause things like soft rot or spot on leaves.

• From Virus: They stunt plant growth and spoil the fruit.

• From Nematodes: These are small worms that attack the roots of plants.

• From Environmental Factors: Like too much water, lack of nutrients or sunburn.

Plant Pathology will help you match the disease to the cause, then suggest treatment or control.

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How can we control or manage it

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Most of these diseases are avoidable if we know the right thing to do at the right time.

• Use resistant crop varieties: Some crops are already bred to resist certain diseases. If your maize can fight leaf rust, then that's better.

• Crop rotation: Do not plant the same thing on the same land every time. Rotate your crop to confuse the disease.

• Clean farm tools: Always sanitize tools to stop spread. Just as you cannot use a dirty knife to cut a wound you want to treat, clean your tools properly.

• Early planting and good spacing: Make sure plants have air and light. They should not be packed.

• Proper irrigation: Don’t over water, it's a wet place that encourages the breeding of fungus.

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The Role of Plant Pathologists

These people act as "plant doctors." they help farmers, researchers and even policy makers know what really happens. Sometimes, they work with the lab to test samples, check disease trends, and advise on best farming practice.
If you have a passion for agriculture and you like solving problems, then you can try out this field.

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Is Plant Pathology Only About Food Crops?

It's not only about food crops. Even all plants, including cash crops like cocoa, oil palm, rubber, and even flowers and ornamentals.
Any plant that show signs of sickness, pathology can help trace it.

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My Final View on This Topic

I believe that plant pathology is not just important, it is supposed to be mandatory for anyone going into farming. Disease can wipe out your whole effort in one week. It is a better knowledge that can help you in this regard.
This is something we can learn, manage and control. Even a person that did not go to school can learn it with proper training and support. But awareness is the first step.

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My Advice To Farmers and People with Interest in Farming

1. Don't farm blindly – Try to learn the signs of plant disease.

2. Join training, extension programs or watch demo videos.

3. Don't wait till harvest period before you check your farm health.

4. Sanitize your tools and get good seed.

5. Ask question. Network with others.

It's not everything that is "village people", sometimes lack of knowledge is also an issue.

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Thanks for reading my post
I hope that as you read this, you would begin to look at your crops differently. Whether you plant one flower in your house or manage a big farmland, remember that plant pathology can save your time, effort and give you better results.

I invite @mr-peng @imohmitch @promisezella to participate in this contest.