Chris Smart helps students identify plant diseases.

Plant Diseases

Plants can get sick too, but the germs or microbes that make plants sick are different from those that make people sick. Several diseases including powdery mildew on cucurbits, viruses in beans and corn smut appeared in the gardens, and were useful examples for Chris Smart, Plant Pathology. 

A close-up look at fungal pathogens.

Plants with diseases caused by fungi and bacterial were used to show how fungi are usually fuzzy and bacteria are slimy. Looking through microscopes allowed for a better view of fungal pathogens.  In addition to looking at diseases from the gardens, students learned how to culture a plant pathogen. 

Viewing the cultures in the students' Petri dishes revealed some interesting facts about strawberries.

Using Petri dishes filled with agar, students cultured the gray mold fungus from diseased strawberries.  Healthy strawberries were used as a control, and everyone learned that even clean, healthy strawberries have some fungus on them.