Category Archives: vegetable

Broadmite damage on tomatoes

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One the assignments that are given to undergraduate BESC 484 students who interned at the Texas Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab is to write blog post articles of things that might interest them.  This fall, Blake Commer will be providing several of this write-up to fulfill partial requirement for this writing intensive course.  Recently, the Plant Clinic received a tomato submission with broad mite damage. The following is a write up about the broad mite on tomato. Enjoy. -KO Broad Mites Causing Leaf Curling and Stunting in Tomato Plants… Read More →

Tomato Russet Mite

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    Last week a tomato sample was diagnosed with tomato russet mites (Aculops lycopersici). These conical-shaped insects, usually translucent and yellowish, cannot be seen without the aid of a 14X hand lens. Russet mites cause damage by feeding on leaves and stems, giving them a greasy or bronze appearance. Infestation normally begins at the base of the plant and progresses upwards as lower leaves dry out. Left alone, these mites can kill plants. Fortunately, they can be controlled with miticides or sulfur. Hosts include tomato, potato, eggplant, petunia, tomatillo,… Read More →

White rust on crucifers

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Last week we received some turnip leaves into the lab with white patches on the undersides. After examining the leaves more closely under the dissecting and compound microscopes, we saw that the white patches were actually “rust” pustules containing sporangia. The pathogen, Albugo candida, which causes this disease, white rust, is actually not a true rust as it is not a member of the kingdom Fungi. However, the organism does imitate the true rusts in the manifestation of its reproductive structures as well as in the fact that… Read More →