When we hear the word ‘nematode,’ many of us conjure up a picture of a worm or some other snake-like organism. The term is derived from the Greek, nemato, which literally translates to ‘thread-like.’ These organisms are members of the animal kingdom, among other multicellular invertebrates (animals without a backbone). But nematodes—also known as roundworms—are…
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Sampling for Foliar Diseases, Soil-Borne Diseases & Nematodes
Because a sample is conceptually an abbreviated representation of a true condition, the techniques of securing representative samples should be approached with precision. In many ways, sample-taking is not merely a science, but an art as well. This is complicated by the tension between achieving the ideal sample-taking systems taught at the university level, and…
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Weather Tolerance & Disease Resistance in Trees, Vegetables, & Vines
Adapted from the Spring 2016 edition of the Sunburst Quantum Yield Newsletter This spring will be characterized by unusually cool weather. Several days are anticipated to be laden with freezing to near freezing temperatures. Our experience with various species of plants, including trees, vines and vegetables, indicates that the degree of negative impact by temperature…
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Managing Bacterial Soil Diseases such as Blight and Bacterial Spot
My experience with bacterial plant diseases has taught me of the consistent correlation between plant tissue integrity and the opportunity for infection. In my career, I have had the opportunity to conduct extensive tests on four common bacterial soil diseases. Bacterial Blight of Walnuts. I focused on the nutritional status of susceptible blocks of walnut…
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