New research shows how plants' secretion of chemicals affects the composition of the microbiome in and around plant roots, keeping plant pathogens at bay and making plants less vulnerable to infection ...

When a maize plant is attacked by the fungus Ustilago maydis, tumor-like tissue growths occur at the site of infection. How the pathogen causes this response in its host has long been unknown. But a ...

Let’s talk about two of the main classifications of plant diseases — biotic and abiotic — and the differences between them. The term “abiotic” means “without life.” Examples include damage from the ...

Last week I covered insect pests of concern in Indiana, and today I’ll cover four plant diseases of concern in our landscapes and woodlands. Like last week, this is certainly not a comprehensive list ...

Biodiversity loss, global warming, pollution and the spread of invasive species are making infectious diseases more dangerous to organisms around the world. By Emily Anthes Several large-scale, ...

Plants mobilize their immune defenses far earlier than scientists have believed for decades—and through a previously ...

What a month we have had. Rainfall has been spotty – plentiful in parts of the state but bone dry in others. A rain gauge is an important tool in the garden. In addition to rain, many parts of ...