Disease Control in Crops Biological and Environmentally-Friendly Approaches

About this book

The control of diseases in crops is still largely dominated by the use of fungicides, but with the increase in the incidence of resistance by plant diseases to fungicides, plus mounting concern for the environmental over excessive agrochemical use, the search for alternative reliable methods of disease control is gaining momentum.

The purpose of this important book is to examine the development and exploitation (or potential for exploitation) for a range of non-chemical approaches to disease control, with a focus on the need for a greater understanding of crop ecology as the basis for effective disease control in the field. Chapters in the book, written by international experts in the subject area, include coverage of cultural practices, biological control methods, induced resistance, the use of composts and compost extracts, host-plant resistance, the exploitation of tolerance, the use of variety mixtures, biofumigation, solarisation, sulfur-induced resistance, the use of essential oils, the disguising of leaf surfaces, and the use of bacteriophages.

Carefully edited by Professor Dale Walters, widely respected for his work in the area of crop protection, "Disease Control in Crops" is an essential reference book for plant pathologists, microbiologists, plant and agricultural scientists and crop protection specialists, including those working within, and providing consultancy to, the agrochemical industries. Libraries in all universities and research establishments where biological sciences and agriculture are studied and taught should have copies of this timely publication on their shelves.

Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction.Dale Walters.Chapter 2: Managing crop disease through cultural practices.Bob Larkin.Chapter 3: Biological control agents in plant disease control.John Whipps and Mark McQuilken.Chapter 4: Induced resistance for plant disease control.Dale Walters.Chapter 5: The use of composts and compost extracts in plant disease control.Audrey Litterick and Martin Wood.Chapter 6: The use of host plant resistance in disease control.Chapter 7: Exploitation of tolerance in plant disease control.Ian Bingham.Chapter 8: Plant disease control through the use of variety mixtures.Adrian Newton.Chapter 9: Biofumigation as a means of controlling plant disease.Wim Blok.Chapter 10: Control of plant disease through solarisation.Jacoov Katan.Chapter 11: Sulphur-induced resistance in plant disease control.Silvia Haneklaus, Elke Bloem and Ewald Schnug.Chapter 12: Control of plant disease by disguising the leaf surface.Dale Walters.Chapter 13: Bacteriophages as agents for the control of plant pathogenic bacteria.Jeffrey Jones.Chapter 14: Making greater use of biologically-based disease management practices.Brian McSpadden

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Biography

Professor Dale Walters is based at the Crop and Soil Systems research Group, Scottish Agricultural College, Edinburgh, U. K.