CROP DISEASES;

Pictorial Illustration
By Nwagu Chiamaka
@ St Cyprian’s Special Science School, Nsukka
Intended for Teaching and Instruction of Agricultural Science in SS2 Classrooms
 MAIZE SMUT
Caused by Fungi (Ustilago zea)

Healthy Cobs Diseased Cobs

 MAIZE SMUT
Caused by Fungi (Ustilago zea)

Symptoms
• Grains are converted to
large mass of spores
 RICE BLAST
Caused by Fungi (Piricularia oryzea)

Healthy Field Diseased Field

 RICE BLAST
Caused by Fungi (Piricularia oryzea)

Symptoms
• Long red spots which
turn grey or brown
appear on leaves
• stem collapse
 MAIZE RUST
Caused by Fungi (Puccinia polysora)

Healthy Plants Diseased Plants

 MAIZE RUST
Caused by Fungi (Puccinia polysora)

Symptoms
• Certain portions of the
leaf turn deep brown
and later die
 MAIZE STREAK
Caused by Virus

Healthy Plants Diseased Plant

 MAIZE STREAK
Caused by Maize Streak Virus

Symptoms
• Chlorotic streaks
parallel to the veins of
the leaf
 DOWNY MILDEW
Caused by Fungi (Peronosclerospora sorghi)

Healthy Plants Diseased Plant

 DOWNY MILDEW
Caused by Fungi (Peronosclerospora sorghi)

Symptoms
• Dwarfing of plant
• Pale chlorotic patches on the
leaves
• Leaves become twisted and
shredded
• White spores appear
underneath the leaves
• Deformation of floral
structures
 CERCOSPORA LEAF SPOT
Caused by Fungi (Mycosphaerella spp)

Healthy Plant Diseased Plants

 CERCOSPORA LEAF SPOT
Caused by Fungi (Mycosphaerella spp)

Symptoms
• Lesions appear on the
upper surface of leaves
which turns dark brown
to black as they mature
 ROSSETTE
Caused by Virus

Healthy Plants Diseased Plants

 ROSSETTE
Caused by Virus

Symptoms
• Stunting
• Chlorosis on leaves
 BLACK POD
Caused by Fungi (Phytophthora palmivora)

Healthy Pods Diseased Pods

 BLACK POD
Caused by Fungi (Phytophthora palmivora)

Symptoms
• Brown spores soon
covered with soaky
powdery spores
• The whole pod gradually
gets black and rotten
 COFFEE LEAF RUST
Caused by Fungi (Hemileia vastatrix)

Healthy leaves Diseased leaves

 COFFEE LEAF RUST
Caused by Fungi (Hemileia vastatrix)

Symptoms
• Yellow circular lesions
develop under the leaves
and later cover the whole
undersurface
• This gradually leads to
the death of the leaves,
branches and the whole
plant.
 SWOLLEN SHOOT
Caused by Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus

Healthy Shoot Diseased Shoot

 SWOLLEN SHOOT
Caused by Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus

Symptoms
• Chlorosis between
leaf veins only
• Vein clearing of
non green veins
• Swollen stems
and/or roots
 CASSAVA MOSAIC
Caused by Begomo Virus

Healthy Plants Diseased Plants

CASSAVA MOSAIC
Caused by Begomo Virus

Symptoms
• Vein clearing,
• Distortion of the
leaves and
• Stunted plant
 BACTERIAL LEAF BLIGHT
Caused by Bacteria

Healthy Plants Diseased Plants

BACTERIAL LEAF BLIGHT
Caused by Bacteria

Symptoms
• Spot appears on the
leaves which later
become bigger and join
to form blight
• Leaves drop
• Plant wilts and later dies
 DRY ROT
Caused by Nematodes

Healthy Yam Diseased Yams

 DRY ROT
Caused by Nematodes

Symptoms
• Browning of yam
tissues which later
becomes soft
 CITRUS GUMMOSIS
Caused by Fungi (Phytophtora citrophtora)

Healthy Plant Diseased Plant

 CITRUS GUMMOSIS
Caused by Fungi (Phytophtora citrophtora)

Symptoms
• Sap oozing from
small cracks in
infected barks

NB: Gummosis is also

called Gumming Disease
 DIE BACK
Caused by Nematodes

Healthy Plant Diseased Plants

 DIE BACK
Caused by Nematodes

Symptoms
• die back of the plant
• slow stunted growth
• low vigor and yield
 CITRUS SCAB
Caused by Fungi (Sphaceloma fawcetti)

Healthy Plant Diseased Plant

 CITRUS SCAB
Caused by Fungi (Sphaceloma fawcetti)

Symptoms
• Young leaves and
stem are attacked
especially in the
nursery
• Raised scabs on
leaves, fruits
and twigs
 TRISTEVA
Caused by Virus

Healthy Plant Diseased Plant

 TRISTEVA
Caused by Virus

Symptoms
• Branches die at
their tips
• yield is greatly
reduced
 ROOT KNOT
Caused by Nematodes

Healthy Roots Diseased Root

 ROOT KNOT
Caused by Nematodes

Symptoms
• Unusual
enlargement/knotting of
certain cells of the
roots resulting in
growth retardation and
wilting of the plant
 DAMPING OFF
Caused by Fungi

Healthy Plants Diseased Plants

DAMPING OFF
Caused by Fungi

Symptoms
• Retarded growth
• Cells become water
logged
• Gradual wilting of plants
• Death of plant
 ONION TWISTER
Caused by Fungi

Healthy Plants Diseased Plants

ONION TWISTER
Caused by Fungi

Symptoms
• Twisting of leaves
• Grey patches on leaves
• Reduction in yield
• Death of plant
 BACTERIAL WILT
Caused by Bacillus Bacteria

Healthy Plants Diseased Plants

 BACTERIAL WILT
Caused by Bacillus Bacteria

Symptoms
• Rapid wilting
• slimy exudates from the
cross section of stem
cut near soil level
• death of the plant
 TOMATO LEAF CURL
Caused by Virus

Healthy Plant Diseased Plant

TOMATO LEAF CURL
Caused by Virus

Symptoms
• Leaves curl upwards
and become rolled
 BLACK ARM
Caused by Bacteria (Xanthomonas malvaceanum)

Healthy Plant Diseased Plant

 BLACK ARM
Caused by Bacteria (Xanthomonas malvaceanum)

Symptoms
• Angular spots on leaves
and branches
• dead branches
• Boll rot
 BUNCH TOP
Caused by Virus

Healthy Plant Diseased Plant

BUNCH TOP
Caused by Virus

Symptoms
• Stunted plants
• leaves crowded and
having curl edges
STORE PRODUCE MOULD
Caused by Fungi

Symptoms
• Wooly moulds on the
seeds or material
• bad odour
• sour taste
• Rottening
AND THAT’S IT!
FOR THIS TOPIC