Epidemiology and Disease Management
Movement of diseases within a community, state, country, or beyond will vary with individual diseases, environmental conditions and human interaction. Anticipation of specific diseases along with survey and detection methods is a necessary first step in disease management.
Long Range Movement of Karnal bunt
Controlling the long range movement of Karnal bunt and other diseases is challenging at best.
"Infected wheat fields exist in areas where produce is grown and shipped to the U.S. via thousands of trucks each year. In the normal rotation of crops some former wheat fields will be planted to produce such as lettuce, celery, squash, tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers. Since most of these crops are packed in the field and are not washed, soil containing teliospores of Karnal bunt would adhere to the product, the packing boxes, trucks and move to all areas of the U.S."
(Karnal Bunt, an Arizona Perspective, submitted by Merritt R. Nelson and colleagues)
The question becomes, is it feasible to control long range movement of disease propagules?
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Gerald Holmes - 10:56pm Jul 5, 1996 EDT (#1 of 1)
Univ. Calif. Coop. Ext. Imperial Co.
It's obviously not
possible to "exclude" the pathogen. The way I see it,
it's only possible to "slow down" it's introduction.
Ultimately, nature will determine when, where, and to what degree
plant diseases will occur.
© Copyright 1996 by the American Phytopathological Society