multilingual compendium of plant diseases

in oral or written communication. The descriptions were written in non-technical
terms for two reasons: (1) the terminology used will permit the reader, no matter
what his scientific training, to visualize what these diseases really look like and
(2) ease in translating them.
In contrast to the preceding section pertaining to common names which were
largely contributed by pathologists in the various countries thrcughout the world,
for the section on disease concepts (descriptions) we have selected only four languages
-- English, French , Spanish and Interlingua. It is generally accepted that
approximately 90% of the world population has a rudimentary understanding of
English, French or Spanish. For those who may not be familiar with Interlingua,
it is a language in which the vocabulary is derived from Latin, Italian, Spanish,
Portuguese, French, English, German and Russian. It embodies all the word
material that the languages of the western world have typically in common. The
grammar is greatly simplified. Many will find the Interlingua vocabulary familiar
to thembecausethe words are, for the most part, the common roots of English
and the Romance languages.
There is every reason to believe that there will be an additional number
of readers who will be able to read and understand Interlingua. Our experience
in the use of this language in connection with material published in the Plant
Disease Reporter showed us that many plant pathologists throughout the world,
although they had not previously studied Ingerlingua, found it easy to comprehend.
It is conceivable that hlterlingua could play an important role in providing
a universal language for common names of plant diseases in the same manner
that Latin serves as a standard for scientific names. Because we believe the language
can provide a useful tool in communication among scientists, we have included
some helpful material on pages 454 and 455.
VII. DISTRIBUTION: Af., A., Arst., Eur., N.A., C.A., S.A.
in this section the distribution is listed by continent or definite geographical area.
For the most part this information was taken from "Distribution Maps of Plant
Diseases" published by the Commonwealth Mycological Institute of England. On
the reverse side of these maps the distribution by individual countries within the
continents, with supporting documentation, can be found. The following abbreviations
will be standard throughout the compendium:
Af. (Africa) N. A. (North America)
A. (Asia) S. A. (South America)
Aust. (Australasia) C. A. (Central America)
Eur. (Europe) W. I. (West Indies)
It is believed that the close-up color illustrations of the most typical symptoms in combination
with the general symptomotology presented in the descriptions will provide excellent diagnostic
tools. The number on each illustration refers to the corresponding page on which the pertinent
information for the disease can be found. The missing photographs are the result of our inability
to obtain suitable transparencies. Generally, either root diseases which have symptoms that are
difficult to photograph or diseases which, although of major importance in some geographical
areas, were not possible for us to secure account for the omissions.
vii