history of plant pathology,better one for ug and pg exam prepartions

1. HISTORY OF PLANT PATHOLOGY
1676 - Antonvon leeuwenhoek (Dutch 1632-1729)-
 Developed the 1st
microscope (some books mentioned the years 1675,1676,1679)
 1st
publications on Bacteria (1683)
1729 -Pier Antonio Micheli (Italy)-
 “Founder and Father of mycology”
 He wrote a book “ Nova Plantarum genera” in 1729
 Proved that disease is caused by spores
1755 - Matheiu Du Tillet (france)-
 Considered as “Great grandfather of Phytopathology”
 Proved bunt of wheat is contagious (external transmission)
1761-1836 - C. H. Persoon (France)-
 “Founding father of systemic mycology”,
 Published “Synopsis methodica fungorum” (1801)
1807 - Benedict Prevost (France)-
 Experimentally proved role of micro-organism in causation of the diseases (Life cycle
of bunt fungus)
 Demonstrated the control of what smut spores germination by steeping seeds in a
copper sulphate solution
E.M. Fries (Sweden) -
 Linneaus of mycology, Father of systemic mycology
 Wrote a book called “Systema mycologicum” in 1821 (starting point in nomenclature
of fungi)
1803-1889 - M. J. Berkeley (England)-
 Coined the term “ Mycology”
 Founder of british mycology
Micro-organism
1858- J. G. Kuhn (Germany)-
 Published 1st
text book in plant pathology “ The diseases of cultivated crops, their
causes and their control” in 1858
1831-1888 - Heinrich Anton De Bary (Germany):-
 Largely Considered as “ Father of Plant pathology”, “Father of Modern Plant
Pathology” and “Father and founder of modern Experimental Plant Pathology”
 He wrote a book
“Comparative Morphology and the Biology of Fungi, Myceteoza and bacteria” (1866)
 Introduced the terms ”Haustoria / Sinkers”, ”Symbiosis”, ”Teletospores”,
“Myceteoza”, Autoecious and Heteroecious rust, and “Chlamydospores”
 His students are M. S. Woronin (Russia), O. Brefels (Germany), A. Millardet (France),
H. M. Ward (England), W. G. Farlow (USA) and Fisher (Switzerland)
 Discoverd the life cycle of Phytophthora infestans (late blight of potato) that causes
Iirish famine.
1839-1901- Robert Hartig-
 Father of “Forest plant pathology”
 Published book “Important diseases of forest trees” in 1874
“Diseases of trees” in 1882

2. 1880 H. M. Ward (England) -
 “Father of tropical plant pathology”
 Emphasises the Role of environment on epidemiology of coffee rust gave the
briding host theory in 1903
 Recognised necrotic active defence in Bromus, later known as hypersentive
response
1882-1885 PMA Millardet (France)-
 Discovered “Bordeaux mixture” for the control of downy mildew of grapes
 This discovery is considered as serendicity discovery (accidental discovery)
 Bordeaux mixture Composition 1:1:100 (1gm of copper sulphate, 1gm of hydrated
lime, 100lit water)
 The original formula developed by Millardet contains 5 lbs of CuSO4 + 5 lbs of lime
50 gallons of water.
 The chemistry of Bordeaux mixture is complex and the suggested reaction is:
CuSO4 + Ca (OH) 2 = Cu(OH) 2 + CaSO4
 “Bordeaux” (founded in June 7,1441 ) is the university name in France.
1845-1920 – Pier Andrea Saccardo (Italy) –
 His famous book is “ Syllome fungorum ” (26 volumes)
1886- 1971- J. F .Dastur –
 First Indian plant pathologist, internationally known for the establishment of genus
Phytophthora and diseases caused by castor (Phytophthora parasitica) and potato
 1st
president of the “Indian Phytopathological Society” (IPS) in 1948.
 Reported the 1st
plant viral diseases in India (Sugarcane mosaic virus)
1874- 1943 – Edwin John Butler (Ireland)-
 1st
Imperical Mycologist in India
 Considered as ‘ Father of modern plant pathology in India”, “ Father of Indian
mycology”
 His book was “ Fungi and disease in plants” in 1918
1928 – Alexander Fleming (United Kingdom) –
 Isolated Penicillin from Pencillium notatum
 Shared noble prize in Physiology and medicine along with Ernst B. Chain & Howard
Walter Florey in 1945
When I woke up just after dawn on September 28, 1928, I certainly didn't plan to
revolutionise all medicine by discovering the world's first antibiotic, or bacteria
killer. But I suppose that was exactly what I did.
— Alexander Fleming
1940 – K. O. Muller and H. Borger –
 Coined the term “Phytoalexins”( antimicrobial compounds in plants)
 The 1st
phytoalexin is “Pisatin ”(produced from Pea plant), The molecular formula is
C17H14O6
1946 - H H Flor –
 Gave gene for gene hypothesis of plant-pathogen genetic interaction whilst working
on rust (Melampsora lini) of flax (Linum usitatissimum)

3.  He proposed the term "Avirulence gene"(Avr)
 ( Gene for gene hypothesis :- One is a plant gene called the resistance (R) gene. The
other is a parasite gene called the avirulence (Avr) gene. Plants producing a specific R
gene are resistant towards a pathogen that produces the corresponding Avr gene
product.
1947 – B. B. Mundukur –
 Started Indian Phytopathological Soeiety (IPS)
 Worked on cotton wilt in Bombay state, published Ustilaginales in india
 First issue of the journal “ Indian phytopathology” in 1948
 Published a text book “ Fungi and plant diseases “ in 1949, which was a second book
of plant pathology after Butller
1952 – G. Pontecorvo and JA Roper -
 Discovered parasexuality in Aspergillus nidulans
(parasexuality : - plasmogamy, karyogamy and meiosis not occurs in a regular stage )
 J A Roper reported the hormonal control of sexuality in fungi
1952. Kittleson – introduced the Capton( kittleson killer) as a fungicide
1963 – J. E. Vander Plank –
 Considered as “Father of Epidemiology”
 Published “Plant Disease Epidemics and Control ” in 1963
1964 – Norman E. Borlaug (USA) –
 Developed semi-dwarf, high-yield stem rust resistant wheat varieties
 He was often called “ The father of the Green Revolution”
 he was awarded the Noble Peace Prize in 1970 in recognition of his contributions to
world peace through increasing food supply
 He worked in the fields of Agronomy, Plant pathology and Genetics ( Ph.D. in plant
pathology and genetics)
1966 – Von Schmeling and Marshal Kulka – Discovered the 1st
systemic fungicide (Carboxin)

4. HISTORY OF PLANT PATHOLOGY IN INDIA
1885 - K R Kirtikar – First Indian scientist who collected and identified fungi
1886-1971 – JF Dastur -
 First Indian plant pathologist, internationally known for the establishment of genus
Phytophthora and diseases caused by castor (Phytophthora parasitica) and potato
 1st
president of the “ Indian Phytopathological Society” (IPS) in 1948
1914 - 1999 – M. J. Thirumalachur –
 He was known for the development of antifungal antibiotics such as Aureofungin,
 Written a Book “ Antibiotics in Plant disease control ”
M K Patel –
 Considered as “ Father of Indian Plant bacteriology”
 Started the school of Plant Bacteriology at college of Agriculture (Pune)
 Found out “Patel agar”( medium for isolating and culturing of Crown gall bacterium)
also worked on crown gall bacterium
 Advocated the family Phytobacteriacae with seven genera viz., xathomonas,
Phytobacterium, Aplanobacter, Corynebacterium, Agrobacterium, Erwinia and
plectobacterium to include all pathogenic bacteria.
Y.L. Nene-
 Reported khira disease of rice is due to ‘Zinc’ deficiency
 Authored the book “ Fungicides in plant disease control” (Y. L. Nene & P. N.
Thapliyal) and “The pigeon pea”
1892-1950 - K. C. Mehta –
 Considered as “Father of Indian Rust”
 Studied epidemiology of cereal rust in india
 Wrote monograph on “Further studies on cereal rust in India”
1896 -1952 – B. B. Mundukar
 Established Indian Phytopathological society with the Journal “ Indian
phytopathology”
 Wrote “ Fungi and plant diseases” in 1949
 ‘Monograph on Ustilaginales of india’ and the ‘Supplements to fungi of india’ and
Gerena of rusts in collaboration with M. J. Thirumalachur.
1975 – S. Nagarajan and H. Singh – Formulated “ Indian Stem Rust Rules” for Puccinia
graminis tritici
1978 – S. Nagarajan and Joshi – Identified Puccinia pathway

5. BACTERIA
Ehrenberg (1829) – Coined the term “Bacteria”
1675 – Leeuwenhoek –
 Developed 1st
microscope, Considered as ‘Father of Bacteriology’
 Developed hundereds of microscopes and obtain a magnification of 50-300
diameters.
 Also discovered the Spermatozoa and the red blood cells
 1st
publication in bacteria was in 1683
(Dear god what marvels they are so small a creature – Leeuwenhoek)
1858 – Louis Pasteur (France) –
 Father of “modern bacteriology” and “Founder of Microbiology”
 Formulated germ theory of diseases and demolished the spontaneous generation
theory
 Developed the principles of vaccination, microbial fermentation and pasteurization.
 Created the first vaccines for Rabies and Anthrax
 Book “memoir on the organized bodies which exist on the planet”
 (Pasteurization:- Heat-treatment process that destroys pathogenic microorganisms
in certain foods and beverages.
Pasteurization of milk of about 62.8° C (145.04° F) for 30 minutes
1876 -Louis Pasteur and Robert Koch -They proved that anthrax disease of cattle was
caused by specific bacterium.
1876 -Robert Koch (Germany)
 Described the theory called "Koch's postulates."(out of 4 , 3 was given by Robert
Koch 4th
was given by E. F. Smith)
 He established the principles of pure culture technique.
 “Father of Modern Bacteriological Techniques”, “Father of Microbial Techniques”
“Founder of Modern Bacteriology”.
 Identified the specific causative agents of tuberculosis, cholera, and anthrax
1878 - T. J. Burill (America) –
 First time proved that fire blight of apple and pear was caused by a bacterium (now
known as Erwinia amylovora) in 1878.
 Initially the was called Mycrococcus amylovorus (today known as Erwinia amylovora)
 He is the “Founder of Phytobacteriology”.
1884 – Christian Gram-
 Developed bacterial staining technique
 Based on staining bacteria can be divided into gram positive(+ve) and gram negative
(-ve)
1901-1920 - E. F. Smith (U.S.A)
 He is also called as "Father of Phytobacteriology".

6.  Wrote the 1st
text book on bacterial diseases “Introduction to Bacterial Diseases of
plants” in 1920.
F. W. Twort (1915), F. D’ Herelle (1917) – Discovered Bacteriophage individually.
1928 – Alexander Fleming (United Kingdom) –
 Isolated Penicillin from Pencillium notatum
 Shared noble prize for the chemotherapeutic use of penicillin in Physiology and
medicine along with Ernst B. Chain & Howard Walter Florey in 1945
 Fleming published his findings in the British Journal of Experimental Pathology in
June 1929
1931- Knoll and Ruska- Invented the electron microscope
Selman A. Waksman –
 Considered as “Father of soil microbiology” and “Father of antibiotics”
 Discovered the antibiotic ‘Streptomycin’ (Streptomyces griseus)
 Awarded Noble Prize in Physiology of Medicine in 1952 ( for the discovery of
streptomycin)
1948 – M. K. Patel –
 Considered as “ Father of Indian Plant bacteriology”
 Started the school of Plant Bacteriology at college of Agriculture (Pune)
 Found out “Patel agar”( medium for isolating and culturing of Crown gall bacterium)
also worked on crown gall bacterium
 Identified a new species of plant pathogenic bacterium from India in 1948, namely
Xanthomonas campestris pv. uppalii
1967 - Y. Doi et al –
 Discovery of Mycoplasma like organisms (in mulberry dwarf disease
 The organisms were renamed as Phytoplasma in 1994, at the 10th Congress of
the International Organization for Mycoplasmology.
1972 – Davis et al – First observed Spiroplasma (in corn stunt diseases)

7. VIROLOGY
 Virus :-
 Plant viruses are sub-microscopic, infectious, obligate intracellular
parasites, which do not replicate without a living host.
 Virus is derived from Latin word which means - Poison/ Venom/Slimy liquid
 Study of Plant viruses and virus like pathogens is called – Plant Virology
HISTORY:-
 1886 – Adolf Mayer (Germany)-
 Coined the term ‘Mosaic’
 He thought that the causal agent was the bacteria.
 He called sap transmission of tobacco disease is ‘Mosaikkrankheit’
 Later he performed experiments with Chamber land filter paper, even though
the virus retains infectivity.
 1892 – D. Ivanovsky (Russia) –
 Proved that the causal agent of tobacco mosaic disease could pass through
bacteria proof filters.
 Concluded that the causal agent of tobacco mosaic (virus) is smaller than
bacteria.
 1898 – Beijerinck –
 Founder and Father of Virology / Father of Environmental Ecology
 Performed agar diffusion experiments and coined the term ‘Virus’
 He called the liquid material of virus is “Contagium vivum fluidum” which
cause the repeated infection in Tobacco mosaic virus
 1915 – Twort, 1917 -F. D. Herelle – Individually discovered bacteriophages
 1929 – Mckinney –
 Developed cross protection/ pre-immunization technique for control of citrus
tristeza virus (CTV)
 Cross protection was 1st
used against TMV
 1935 – W. M. Stanley –
 American biochemist, virologist
 Done Purification/ Crystallisation of virus (by using ammonium sulphate)
 He received Nobel Prize in 1946 (for crystallisation of virus)
 He believed that virus was an autocatalytic protein that could multiply with in
the living cell
‘A virus is a virus’. It is neither a living organism nor a non-living chemical, but
something between and betwixt Andrew Lwoff

8.  Molecular plant pathology work can be initiated with W. M. Stanley
 1936 – F. E. Bawden and N. W. Pirie –
 Demonstrated that virus is a nucleoprotein which consists both nucleic acid
and protein
 1939 – Kausche et al – Saw virus particles (TMV) for the first time with the help of
electron microscope
 1956 – Gierrer and Schramm –
 Showed that nucleic acid is the infectious agent
 Also investigated about double standard RNA viruses (ds RNA)
 1967 – Doi et al – First observed Phytoplasma (In mulberry dwarf disease)
 1971 – Dienner and Raymer – reported 1st
viroid disease potato spindle tuber viroid.
 1972 – Davis et al – First observed the Spiroplasma (in Corn stunt disease)
 1976 – Voller et al, 1977 – Clark and Adams – Developed ELISA technique and used
ELISA in Plant virus detection.
The Four Koch postulates (Robert koch)
1. The organism must always be present, in every case of the diseases.
2. The organism must be isolated from a host containing the diseases and
grown in Pure Culture .
3. Samples of the organism taken from pure culture cause the same diseases
when inoculated into a healthy, susceptible animal in the laboratory
4. The pathogen must be re-isolated and on comparison with original culture it
must be found to be identical)
Note - 4th
Koch postulate was given by E. F. Smith