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Purpose and
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Materials and
methods
Lesson plan

Supplementary
information and References

For the Instructor

Plant Parts and Their Diseases

Materials and Methods

Materials Needed for Lesson:

1. Edible examples. Choose common and uncommon examples of each plant part as suggested in Table 1.

Table 1. Typical and atypical examples of plant parts and examples of disease that each plant gets.

Examples

Plant Part

Typical

Atypical

Comments

Color Photos of Diseased Plant Part

Roots

carrot, radish

sweet potato

Roots do not turn green if left in the sun.

Fig. 3 Healthy carrots and carrot infected with root- knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.)

Stems

celery, asparagus

potato

Potatoes are tubers or underground stems and not roots. Potatoes turn green when left in the sun and have buds in their “eyes.”

Fig. 4. Pink stem rot of celery caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

Leaves

lettuce, spinach

onion, garlic

Show the thickened basal leaves of onions and garlic.

Fig. 5. Soft rot of lettuce caused by Erwinia spp.

Flowers

rose hip (tea)

broccoli

Point out the small flowers on the florets.

Fig. 6. Downy mildew of broccoli caused by Pseudoperonospora spp.

Fruits

apple, orange

cucumber, tomato

Fruits have seeds inside.

Fig. 7. Belly rot of cucumber caused by Rhizoctonia spp.

Seeds1

pumpkin seeds

popcorn, cereals

Nuts1 and grains are also seeds

Fig. 8. Common smut of corn caused by Ustilago maydis

1 Caution! Nuts should NOT be brought into the classroom. Some children have severe allergies to nuts and nut products.

2. Photographs of the diseased plant parts. Examples are available on-line in the final section of this lesson and can be printed out for this intended use only. Live diseased plants will improve the presentation. Check the Mentor list in this website (http://www.apsnet.org/education
/K-12PlantPathways/Mentors.html) for a plant pathologist near you who may be able to provide materials.

3. Paper plates, napkins, bite-sized sliced carrots, celery, lettuce, broccoli, cucumbers and popcorn (each in separate containers), salad dressing (Ranch dressing is best received by this age group).

4. Classroom “room parents” or teaching assistants are excellent resources for providing these items.

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