multilingual compendium of plant diseases

II. As is well known, common disease names are assigned to the resulting conditions
caused by the many combinations which exist between plant pathogens and their
hosts. In our descriptions we have sometimes used the terms "disease" and "pathogen"
(fungus or bacterium) as synonyms. We are aware that this is not scientifically correct;
however, we chose to do this for the sake of brevity and clarity for all readers. Most of
the disease situations that we are dealing with fall within one of the following nine
catagories:
1. One disease name identifying the association of one host species
and one pathogen species.
2. One disease name identifying the association of one host species
and two or more pathogen species.
3. One disease name identifying the association of two or more host
species and one pathogen species.
4. Onp disease name identifying the association of two or more host
species and two or more pathogen species.
5. Two or more disease names identifying the association between one
host species and one pathogen species.
6. Two or more disease names identifying the association between one
host species and two or more pathogen species.
7. Two or more disease names identifying the associations between two
or more host species and one pathogen species.
8. Two or more disease names identifying the associations between two
or more host species and two or more pathogen species.
9. In addition, on some occasions there are disease situations which involve
two or more of these combinations.
It is apparent that the many common plant disease names have come about as a result of the
different bases used in assigning them. An illustration of this confusion would be for a
disease caused by the conidial stage of a fungus to be called "damping-off" and for the
sexual stage tobe called "blight. " Furthermore, our observations after dealing with these common
names in many languages have made it clear that the majority of common names have
been derived from two major sources. Either they are translations of the common names from
the English language or translations of the Latin names of the causal organism. Thus the
confusion is perpetuated.
We have selected twenty-one languages for the section dealing with common names. These
are the ones for which we have information in sufficient quantity to justify their use. We do
not mean to imply that the names have been listed in order of frequency of use, but merely
that they are all in the literature. Neither do we intend for the reader to believe that these
are necessarily all the names that have been used in association with the disease.
III. The earliest and most conspicuous symptom .......................... stem blight.
IV. Le prime e le plus remarcabile symptoma ............. :........... plaga de stirpes.
V. Le sympt6me le plus pr4coce ...................................... et des tiges.
VI. Los mis conspicuous ............................................... tiz6n de tallo.
III - I. If all the possible diseases resulting from combinations of hosts and pathogens
which are mentioned in this compendium were described, the number would exceed
4000. Therefore, in the case of multiple hosts, we have chosen the host
which would provide the most characteristic symptoms. This process has limited
the number of diseases described to 325 while still providing a general concept
(description of symptoms)of the disease which may also apply to the other possible
combinations.
Most plant diseases indicate a biological phenomenon with fairly well-defined
limits. Our approach in describing what happens when a pathogen is associated with
a host is perhaps unique because it is based upon the concept of the disease rather
than signs. This is not unlike the results obtained from time-lapse photography
as opposed to a single close-up snapshot. Utilizing the conceptual approach based
upon this phenomenon, we have attempted to describe each disease in such a manner
that those interested in crop protection and production, regardless of their native
language, will think of the same disease when the various common names are used
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