Plant Pathology

OVERALL OBJECTIVE

To develop and adapt disease control technologies through the provision of services such as disease identification, plant tissue culture, and advisory services to the farming community, as well as other stakeholders.

Specific Objectives

• Identification of disease-causing agents (pathogens) and providing control strategies to all stakeholders to minimise crop yield losses.
• Determining the occurrence and importance of plant diseases.
• Evaluating pesticides for disease control
• Screening and evaluating crop germplasm for disease resistance
• Developing and adapting plant pathology biotechnology tools in disease diagnostics
• Screening of various samples for genetic modification
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Unit Functions

Mycology

This section is involved in detecting and identifying fungal pathogens on various crops using microscopy and molecular-based tools. Examples of fungal-infected plants are shown below.

EggplantCommn BeansGarlic

Virology

Plant viruses can cause great yield losses to field crops. Diseases caused by viruses are easily confused with plant nutrient deficiencies. The section detects and characterises plant viruses associated with plant diseases, as well as conducting surveys and screening for disease resistance.

Cassava Brown streak virusMaize Streak VirusBrown dry rots in cassava roots infected with cassava brown streak disease

Nematology

Damage by plant parasitic nematodes is one of the most important constraints to sustainable crop production. The basic programme for nematology includes surveys, collection, and identification of plant-parasitic nematodes, and provision of control recommendation measures.

Bacteriology

The section is involved in the diagnosis and identification of bacterial diseases.

Biotechnology

The plant tissue culture facility is specialised in conducting research on the development of tissue-cultured plants for various vegetatively propagated crops, including Cassava, Sweet potato, Irish potato, banana and Sugar cane, among others.

Services offered

Screening of different plant samples for viral, fungal, nematode, and bacterial diseases using microscopy and polymerase chain reaction (PCR)2. Screening of various samples for genetic modificationNematode analysis for root and soilSeed health testing -pathogen screeningOn-farm visits for disease assessment and sample collectionOn-farm visits for disease assessment and sample collectionEfficacy trials of new pesticides