Book Review: From Soil to Garden
Karen Meyers In her book, From soil to Garden, Mari Schuh, introduces young readers to the steps necessary to create a garden. She begins by discussing the basic characteristics of a suitable…
Common Diseases of Corn and their Control: Stewart’s Wilt
Caused by the bacterium, Pantoea stewartii, Stewart’s wilt has two phases. The first affects seedlings that may develop linear pale green to yellow streaks, wilt and dry up. The second…
Common Diseases of Cucumber and Their Control: Angular Leaf Spot ( Pseudomonas syringae pv. lachrymans)
Karen Angular leaf spot is a bacterial disease affecting cucumber and other cucurbits, including squash, pumpkin, and melon. The infection begins with small, angular, brown to straw-colored water soaked spots on…
Common Diseases of Corn and Their Control: Rust
The most common corn rust is caused by the fungus Puccinia sorghi and usually appears after tasseling as dark, reddish-brown pustules on the upper and lower surfaces of the leaves.…
Common Diseases of Corn and Their Control: Gray Leaf Spot
Gray leaf spot is one of two common foliar fungal diseases of corn. It is caused by either Cercospora zeae-maydis or Cercospora zeina and appears as grey rectangular, brown to…
Common Diseases of Cucumber and Their Control: Bacterial Wilt
Caused by the bacterium, Erwinia tracheiphila, bacterial wilt affects cucumber and cantaloupe severely, squash and pumpkin less so, and watermelon rarely. The first symptom is the wilting of leaves during…
Common Diseases of Tomato and Their Control: Early Blight
Early blight of tomato is a fungus disease usually caused by Alternaria solani or the more virulent A. tomatophila, and can also effect potatoes, peppers and other members of the…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Cabbage (Brassica oleracea)
The name cabbage can refer to one of several herbaceous biennials in the mustard family, Brassicaceae, that also includes broccoli, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts. It was domesticated from wild cabbage…
Common Diseases of Tomato and Their Control: Southern Bacterial Wilt
Southern bacterial wilt of tomato is a soil-borne disease caused by the bacterium, Ralstonia solanacearum. It also affects many other plants in the nightshade family (Solanaceae), including potato, eggplant, pepper,…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis)
Native to maritime habitats of Europe and western temperate Asia, asparagus is a herbaceous perennial and member of the Asparagaceae plant family that also includes yucca, hosta, and spider plant.…