Texas Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab-
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Category Archives: Seen at TPDDL
Getting to the Root of the Problem
Blog article #1 by Kevin Pineda (for partial fulfillment of BESC 484 requirement) Not all evidence of a plant pathogen can be seen above the surface. Phytophthora root rot caused by Phytophthora sp. is the most common cause of root rot. This rot of the root system hinders the ability of the host plant to take up water and nutrients. Below the surface, it can be observed as discoloration and decay of the roots. Phytophthora has a cell wall made of cellulose and is classified as an oomycete,… Read More →
If You Have Grass, Read This!
Written by Taylor Duke — TPDDL Student Worker; Edited by Hannah Ayala — Extension Assistant If you’ve been noticing brown patches in your lawn lately, it’s most likely infected by the pathogen commonly known as Take All Patch. Take All Patch is caused by the soil-borne fungus Gaeumannomyces graminis var. graminis, or as we like to call it here in the lab, “Ggg”. The season of Ggg is upon us and we have been receiving lots of grass samples in the lab that are positive for this pesky fungus. Ggg… Read More →
You Either Lichen or You Do Not Like Em
Written by Hannah Ayala — Extension Assistant Have you ever seen a crusty object or a thin layer growing on your trees or rocks? We’re here to tell you NOT to panic. It might just be lichen, which is not completely a fungi or a bacteria. Lichens are actually made up of a symbiotic relationship between fungi and green algae or cyanobacteria (or even all three!). The alga feeds the fungus through photosynthesis, while the algae receives some food and support from the fungus. Lichens commonly grow on limbs,… Read More →
Soft Spot for Succulents
Written by Hannah Ayala – Extension Assistant Like all plants, your succulent could be suffering because of a plant pathogen, an insect pest, or an abiotic factor. When it comes to succulents, there are some issues that are more common than others. One of the most common problems we find in samples that come into the lab is caused by overwatering. Cacti and other succulents are mostly found in areas with low rainfall. This means that they store more water than other plants, hence their “puffy” foliage. This… Read More →
Student Worker (Oak) Branches Out
Written by Michael Giedraitis – TPDDL Student Worker; Edited by Hannah Ayala – Extension Assistant Background It was an exciting summer and fall at the Texas Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratory. Alongside all our normal duties involved in operating the clinic, I was given the opportunity to work on the development of a new method for diagnosing oak wilt. Our current protocol is to break down infected branch samples sent to us and set them to incubate on petri plates in specialized media for two weeks. We check these… Read More →
