Category: Resource

ralstonia bacterial wilt tomato potato

Pathogen Profile: Ralstonia solanacearum

Written by: Becky Anderson Published by: David Santos Ralstonia solanacearum What is Ralstonia solanacearum? The bacterial pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum is a Gram-negative, soil-borne bacterial pathogen that causes bacterial wilt and brown rot in potatoes. This bacterium belongs to a complex of four groups called phylotypes. These groups are known as the R. solanacearum species complex (RSSC). Each […]
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fusarium in banana root

Pathogen Profile: Fusarium oxysporum

Written by: Becky Anderson Published by: David Santos What is Fusarium oxysporum? Fusarium oxysporum is a fungus which can cause root rot, crown rot and, most commonly, wilting in a wide variety of crops such as basil, lettuce, cannabis and tomatoes (Figure 1). Wilting caused by F. oxysporum is known as Fusarium wilt and is a common […]
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Figure 3. Powdery mildew on watermelon leaves, caused by Sphaerotheca fuliginea, Erysiphe cichoracearum. 

Pathogen Profile: Podosphaera xanthii

Written by: Becky Anderson Published by: David Santos What is Podosphaera xanthii? Podosphaera xanthii is a pathogenic fungus which causes “powdery mildew” on plants, especially cucurbits [1]. The naming of this fungus is not standardized, and you may also know it as Podosphaera fusca, Sphaerotheca fuliginea or Sphaerotheca fusca [1]. In addition to P. xanthii, powdery mildew […]
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lettuce soft rot

Pathogen Profile: Pectobacterium carotovorum 

Written by: Becky Anderson Published by: David Santos What is Pectobacterium carotovorum? Pectobacterium carotovorum is one pathogen, of many, that causes soft rot in plants. It is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped, facultative anaerobe [1], (Figure 1). This bacteria is part of the order Enterobacterales [2] which includes other well-known bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Salmonella, to […]
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aphids thrips and whiteflies

3 Common Greenhouse Pests

3 Common Greenhouse Pests One of the most common issues that lots of growers deal with in a greenhouse is different types of pests. The warm, humid conditions and abundant food in a greenhouse provide the perfect environment for pest development. Greenhouses also lack the natural predators for most pests that would be found in […]
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examples of biopesticides

Biocontrol in Farming

Written by: Becky Anderson Published by: David Santos Biocontrol in Farming Globally, around 3 billion tons of pesticides are used annually to prevent diseases and pests from harming crops, yet 40% of crops are still lost due to plant diseases [1]. Adapting biocontrol in farming is a natural way to prevent and treat diseases; it can significantly […]
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Powdery mildew on cucumber leaf.

Fungi and Hydroponic Systems

s summer approaches and the temperatures rise, so do humidity levels. Southern Ontario is notorious for humid weather which can have lasting impacts on agricultural success. Humidity provides ideal conditions for fungi to grow, including mold and mildew.
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alfalfa hairy root Rhizobium

Pathogen Profile: Agrobacterium rhizogenes

Written by: Becky Anderson Published by: David Santos What is Agrobacterium rhizogenes? Agrobacterium rhizogenes, also currently known as Rhizobium rhizogenes (1), is a Gram-negative, rod shaped, pathogenic bacteria (2) (Figure 1). A. rhizogenes lives in the rhizosphere, which is where the name derived (rhiza a root and gennao to make or to produce; hence, rhizogenes or root-producing).  […]
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tomatoes infected tobrfv

Pathogen Profile: Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus

What is ToBRFV? Tomato brown rugose fruit virus, commonly known as ToBRFV, is a virus belonging to the genus Tobamovirus. This virus has been around since 2014, when it was first discovered in Israel [1]. Although it is too early to estimate global crop production damage, data gathered from Florida, USA showed an estimated 30% – […]
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