Our dogwood tree has a black scar where all the bark is stripped. It wasn't struck by lightning, and it hasn't been burned. The rest of the tree looks healthy with dark gray bark. Leaves came in full and healthy this spring. Any ideas what might be causing this? Thanks!

Can anyone help me guess why these rosemary and germander plants have stunted, pale new foliage with unnaturally small leaves? I've never seen anything like it before, and I've lived here for decades.

I am in Santa Clara County, California, USA. I first noticed the weird foliage on a rosemary plant several weeks ago at our neighborhood city park (Photo 1). Then, today, I noticed the deformity had spread to the other rosemary and germander bushes within a few meters (Photo 2). The other unrelated plants in proximity - e.g., coast live oak and matilija poppy - did not seem to be infected.

Only the new foliage is altered. Older foliage appears normal. The plants appear healthy overall except for the bizarre new sprouts. In case it is relevant, these shrubs are pruned frequently by city staff (about once a month or so), and it is possible that the pruning equipment spread the pathogen.

I'm guessing it is a "witches' broom" phenomenon caused by a bacterium such as Phytoplasma that dirupts the apical meristems, but I cannot find any reference to a pathogen that causes this effect in Salvia and relatives. Perhaps it could instead be a fungus or a virus?

Any information or corroboration would be much appreciated! I'm a plant ecologist and would love to share this fascinating example with my Botany students next week, but I would need to learn more about it before I can teach it!

Photo 1: Rosemary, Salvia rosmarinus, 3/3/2024, with distorted new foliage. Santa Clara County, CA.

Photo 2: Bush germander, Teucrium fruticans, 3/18/2024, with distorted new foliage. Finger is pointing to normal foliage that has been recently pruned. Santa Clara County, CA.

I'm doing to start my masters in plant pathology I have done my bachelor's in it already.so I'm confused right now on which topic I should be doing my research as I don't have heart in this but just doing it I mean which microbe is easy to work with.Bacteria,fungi,nematodes?

In January 2022, my family's plum tree fell over. It was ancient, and we took a bunch of cuttings and went wild trying to get any of them to sprout, because it was a venerable tree and held a lot of sentimental value.

Despite attempting with a truly staggering number of twigs, my family only managed to get 1 or 2 to stay alive in the year(s) since then. I've since moved, and my brother said they went from relatively healthy to beset with spider mites. The cuttings were moved outdoors to see if the elements would be harder on the mites than the plants.

The spider mites have been killing off the leaves almost as fast as the baby tree can grow them, which did get better when the plant was moved outdoors, but wasn't entirely solved. My little brother tried treating them with neem oil, which depleted the mites but didn't quite kill them, and also resulted in leaf burn.

The tree was in the pot for much longer than intended, and is now several feet tall and probably wants repotting at the very least, since the soil is only 2-3 inches. I was hoping for any advice on replanting it to give it the best possible chance, as well as any tips on combatting spider mites once the leaves grow back and the plant resumes being tormented.

I'm including pictures of it to show the sad leaves (last autumn) and also to indicate size (the more recent, leaf-less picture) as well as a close-up in case that provides any information for people more familiar with plants and their needs/ailments.

Thank you in advance for any advice you might be able to provide!

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struggling plant (with leaves)

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current state (and rough size indication)

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final closeup

There is something oldly satisfying about watching plants die for us plant pathologists. Just got my first successful inoculation on lettuce with a root rot pathogen.

How can I get into a plant pathology graduate degree program??

Hi friends

So recently I’ve been trying to get my life together, and what I noticed is that mushrooms have always been what brightened my path. I’m passionate about them and what they can do for the future of the planet and humanity, and I think I can help make a change with it because of my love for mycology. I did some research, and I found that at the moment, research and advances in this realm can be most effectively carried out in programs such as plant pathology

Right now, I’m earning a bachelors in psychology which has also been an area of interest for me, and in the past I’ve integrated both into my life (to treat my symptoms of mental illness). The merging of the two changed my life, but I’m realizing my passion doesn’t so much lie in psychology itself, but more so how it is that our brains work— and sometimes don’t work— when looking at the neuroscience of it all. The neuroscience of the earth is in the study of mycelium, and I know there’s something to be discovered within that connection. Just being a psychologist and focusing on the mental aspects and this very set perspective of human function is not going to fulfill my passions

Please help. Is my new outlook even a step towards the right path?

This is my 6-month-old mango plant that I grew from a healthy seed, not purchased. The seed produced two plants, and both are growing together. One of the new leaves is showing some spotting. Its only one one leaf on the top. What should I do? I'm in Kerala, where it's mostly sunny with occasional rains.

I am new to this sub, so hello! I am a masters student working on crown rot of corn. I have spent a year attempting to do pathogenicity tests with fungal isolates that we have pulled from infected crowns to no avail. The methods so far have been tooth pick inoculation and inoculum layer (two types colonized sorghum, being most of the fungi are Fusarium spp. and PDA layer) just in conversation does anyone have maybe some wisdom I can learn from or a direction to start looking in ? Thank you for any help.

I've seen quite a few posts now with people just showing a picture of their plant/ leaf and expect us to identify the disease or abiotic disorder. This is not how it works. Please provide the following information to the best of your ability.

1. Name of plant (Some pathogens have narrow host range; some plants have naturally variegated leaves) (If you don't know the name, give a description of the leaf morphology (leaves alternate or in opposite pairs, compound or simple leaves)
2. Place (country, the surrounding area of the plant displaying symptoms, indoor or outdoor)
3. Clear photos showing symptoms/ signs (both abaxial and adaxial leaf surfaces) + the whole plant if possible
4. Additional info: environmental conditions (the weather), are there insects on plant such as leafhoppers, beetles (Some pathogens are vectored by insects), is there a particular part of the plant that's more affected? (left side vs right side, top vs bottom)

Plant pathologists are detectives. Please give us some clues to work with.

Hello everyone!

I am a senior in undergrad who has fallen out of interest over the years in their old path (medicine). Over time I have come to terms that I am just not interested enough in medicine to devote my life and time to it, and after much exploring and developing a fascination in mycology, I feel like pursuing something in plant pathology may be a very rewarding and worthwhile career for me, even if difficult.

I am taking a gap year or two after undergraduate, and plant to eventually go into a PhD program (probably a master's first). In the meantime, are there any recommendations on what sort of things I should do during these years? It's difficult for me since I never found my interest in plant pathology till very late, but I wonder if there are some things I can try to do over these next 1-2 years to not only make myself a more appealing candidate (especially with a weak GPA but high GRE) , but also to develop skills and such that are needed in plant pathology. I do have some slight research experience but unfortunately my Uni had very little plant pathology opportunities, and none of the research I did is really related .

Apologies if the question is vague, I can elaborate further if anyone asks!

What is this disease in maize leaf ?

What plant pathology books that specifically detail diseases caused by fungi, viruses, and bacteria and how to treat them?