When it comes to diseases in humans, there are two types of bacteria that can cause an infection. They are gram-positive and gram-negative. Gram-positive bacteria do not have a cell wall, while gram-negative cells do. The reason for this differentiation between cells is because one will respond better to antibiotics than the other based on this structure. This same logic can be applied to plant diseases, where there are two main types of bacteria that cause disease.
Gram-positive bacteria have a thick peptidoglycan layer which makes them relatively resistant to bactericidal agents. Gram-negative cells do not have this cell wall, thus making it much easier for antibiotics to disrupt the cell wall. The gram-negative cells are much more susceptible to infections than gram-positive bacteria, for this reason, they often need antibiotics or other forms of treatment to kill them.
The two most common soil diseases that occur in the United States are Sclerotinia and Fusarium. When it comes to these plant pathogens, they are both gram-negative. These soil bacteria do not need a living host to survive, thus making them easier to treat with pesticides and herbicides.
They can be found in many different types of environments, unfortunately for humans, it is oftentimes the food that we consume that has these bacteria on it. The spores of Fusarium can live for a long time in the soil and when it comes to eating food, if you eat an infected plant then you can get sick.
In addition to that, Fusarium is found in grains such as barley, wheat, corn, and oats. There are many different types of Sclerotinia present around the world. However, one of the most common ones is Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. The way it manages to infect many different types of plants is through its structure. The plant pathogens are able to take nitrogen from other sources and move it into the host plant roots where they can use that host for nutrients for themselves. Then, when they are ready to reproduce or infect other plants they release their spores into the air.
Sclerotinia is most commonly found in turf grasses, grain crops, vegetables, and oilseeds. Effective Soil treatment methods are typically used to eliminate these plant pathogens. Prevention is always your best option when it comes to these diseases, especially when it comes to crops and vegetation.
Currently, we know how to prevent these pests from infecting the roots of our plants and causing an infection, however, there is no cure if they manage to get inside. The best way to treat this disease once you find that you have them present in your yard or ground is by using fungicides. These are chemicals that will kill the spores of Fusarium and Sclerotinia. The only problem with fungicides is that it does not guarantee 100% effectiveness.
For this reason, using prevention methods is always your best bet when trying to avoid these problems in the future. Having a healthy lawn or garden that has good root health is the best way to treat these problems. The more nutrition that your plants have, the easier it is for them to fight off infections and disease.
Soil needs to care for just as much as the plants it supports. It can be easy to take notice of what happens above ground, but soil diseases are common and can have detrimental effects on your garden throughout the year if not taken care of. If you’ve noticed any unusual changes in your plants or want some reassurance that there isn’t something wrong with your soil, contact Tree Doctor! Our experts would love to assess your situation and provide advice from our years of experience caring for gardens around the world.
