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Soil fungi and soil fertility
168
Book reviews
by disease. the various cultivated types. the structure of the plant and the importance of oxygen and temperature in relation to the potato tuber. The second part describes the many diseases of potato caused by non-pathogenic agents. These include genetic abnormalities--wildings, giant bill and tall types--the effects of an adverse environment-oxygen. water and temperature problems, mechanical injury, air pollution, and chemical injury-and nutrient imbalance-nitrogen. phosphorus, potassium, calcium and others. The third part is devoted to disease in the presence of infectious pathogens. Diseases caused by bacteria, fungi, viruses, mycoplasmas, nematodes and insects are described, in most cases, by the symptoms, causal organisms and control while in many cases additional information is provided on the disease cycle, epidemiology, histopathology, resistance and other hosts of the pathogen. The compendium covers six bacterial diseases, thirty-three fungal diseases, twenty-four viral diseases and six nematode diseases. Additional to the above are notes on seed potato certification, a key to the diseases based on the visible symptoms of the various parts of the plant, the names of potato diseases in Spanish, German and French equivalent to the English and a glossary of terms. Complimenting the text are many excellent line drawings of disease cycles and causal organisms, and black and white and colour photographs of causal organisms and the symptoms caused by both the non-infectious and infectious agents. This publication contains valuable data of sufficient depth and detail to satisfy the requirements of the potato disease professional as well as being presented in such a way as to enable the grower to either solve the problem at hand or to realize that professional assistance is required. In these days when ever-soaring book prices are enough to force us to economise even on our basic foodstuffs such as potatoes, that the American Phytopathological Society can produce such a worthwhile publication for $11.00 is indeed food for thought.
readers new thoughts in those areas of research since the publication of the first edition in 1963. The chapter on pathogenic root-infecting fungi and mycorrhizal fungi has also been rewritten. Garrett has included more than 80 new references which have appeared since 1963. In the preface Garrett indicates that the book is aimed at university undergraduates as an introduction to soil microbiology. If this is so. 1 was confused as to what level of understanding these students should have of fungal morphology and genetics. While chapters outlining these aspects are presented in the book, the need to cover the vast amount of information in only a few pages. necessitates a very sketchy treatment. Consequently Chapters 4 and 5 appear to me to be only summaries of what one is assumed to know in much greater detail about the morphology, genetics and classification of the fungi. In this regard the author has attempted to cover too great a held in too little space. Again in an attempt to completely cover a large area of knowledge the author has included a chapter on living inhabitants of the soil. The author briefly outlines certain relevant characteristics of plant roots. soil fauna and soil microorganisms excluding the fungi. He then devotes the remainder of the book to a detailed account of some of the important roles of the mycotlora in soil. The topics selected for detailed discussion include succession of fungi on an organic substrate buried in soil. factors controlling competitive saprophytic colonization, the importance of inoculum potential in competitive colonization. the survival of saprophytic fungi on colonized substrates and root infecting fungi including root pathogens and mycorrhizal fungi. It is in these latter chapters that the wealth of Professor Garrett’s knowledge becomes obvious, making the book a valuable reference source for undergraduate students who have a particular interest in the role of saprophytic soil fungi in the colonization of organic substrates in the soil. 9. J. MACAULEY
8. J. MACAULEY The FischerSmith Controversy: Are there Bacterial Diseases of Plants? by Alfred Fischer and Erwin F. Smith. Soil Fungi and Soil Fertility,
by S. D. Garrett. 2nd edn. Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1981. I50 pp. US $19.00. f7.90. ($9.50 and 24.00 flexicoverl. For most of his research career S. D. Garrett has studied soil fungi and soil fertility. He has made many important contributions in his field of study both by his own research efforts and by his inspirations of his many students who themselves have contributed in the Garrett tradition. Who better. then, to produce this second edition of “Soil Fungi and Soil Fertility”:’ This 150 page book is available in Rexi- and hardcovers. It consists of 9 chapters covering the soil as a habitat. types of soil organisms. the morphology. genetics and classifrcation of fungi, and ecological aspects of soil fungi such as methods of direct observation and isolation, saprophytic colonization and survival on substrates. and root-infecting parasitic and mycorrhizal fungi. The use of well-drawn figures and clear tables compliments the concise presentation of the text. In this second edition, Garrett has undertaken an extensive rewriting of many chapters. In the chapter on competitive saprophytic colonization, fungal succession has been modified and updated. and incorporated into this chapter are sections on substrate colonization and saprophytic competition which in the previous edition were in separate chapters. A largely new chapter on saprophytic survival and a completely new chapter on soil as a habitat bring the
Translated and prepared by C. Lee Campbell. Phytopathological Classics No. 13. The American Phytopathological Society. 1981. 65 pp. US $8.50. Phytopathological Classics reprints important papers in the development of phytopathology. Number 13 deals with the controversy between Alfred Fischer and Erwin F. Smith as to the existence of diseases of plants caused by bacteria. At the time Alfred Fischer was an established Professor of Botany at Leipzig University and Erwin F. Smith was Assistant Plant Pathologist in the United States Department of Agriculture. The controversy started when Fischer claimed in his “Lectures on Bacteria” that bacteria did not cause plant disease. This might have just been dismissed as an uninformed view of the subject if Fischer had not concluded that recent descriptions of bacterial plant diseases were “worthless descriptions” and “non-critical trials’*. Smith, who had recently published descriptions of a number of bacterial plant diseases. viewed this as a personal attack on his work and his scientific integrity. The resultant exchange of views between Fischer and Smith goes far beyond what would be considered normal scientific discussion. Although this volume is useful in that it translates and brings together important early work on bacterial plant disease. perhaps the most interesting aspect is the clash between the scientific establishment of the day (Germany) and a brash newcomer (the U.S.A.). A clash more about
Book reviews
by disease. the various cultivated types. the structure of the plant and the importance of oxygen and temperature in relation to the potato tuber. The second part describes the many diseases of potato caused by non-pathogenic agents. These include genetic abnormalities--wildings, giant bill and tall types--the effects of an adverse environment-oxygen. water and temperature problems, mechanical injury, air pollution, and chemical injury-and nutrient imbalance-nitrogen. phosphorus, potassium, calcium and others. The third part is devoted to disease in the presence of infectious pathogens. Diseases caused by bacteria, fungi, viruses, mycoplasmas, nematodes and insects are described, in most cases, by the symptoms, causal organisms and control while in many cases additional information is provided on the disease cycle, epidemiology, histopathology, resistance and other hosts of the pathogen. The compendium covers six bacterial diseases, thirty-three fungal diseases, twenty-four viral diseases and six nematode diseases. Additional to the above are notes on seed potato certification, a key to the diseases based on the visible symptoms of the various parts of the plant, the names of potato diseases in Spanish, German and French equivalent to the English and a glossary of terms. Complimenting the text are many excellent line drawings of disease cycles and causal organisms, and black and white and colour photographs of causal organisms and the symptoms caused by both the non-infectious and infectious agents. This publication contains valuable data of sufficient depth and detail to satisfy the requirements of the potato disease professional as well as being presented in such a way as to enable the grower to either solve the problem at hand or to realize that professional assistance is required. In these days when ever-soaring book prices are enough to force us to economise even on our basic foodstuffs such as potatoes, that the American Phytopathological Society can produce such a worthwhile publication for $11.00 is indeed food for thought.
readers new thoughts in those areas of research since the publication of the first edition in 1963. The chapter on pathogenic root-infecting fungi and mycorrhizal fungi has also been rewritten. Garrett has included more than 80 new references which have appeared since 1963. In the preface Garrett indicates that the book is aimed at university undergraduates as an introduction to soil microbiology. If this is so. 1 was confused as to what level of understanding these students should have of fungal morphology and genetics. While chapters outlining these aspects are presented in the book, the need to cover the vast amount of information in only a few pages. necessitates a very sketchy treatment. Consequently Chapters 4 and 5 appear to me to be only summaries of what one is assumed to know in much greater detail about the morphology, genetics and classification of the fungi. In this regard the author has attempted to cover too great a held in too little space. Again in an attempt to completely cover a large area of knowledge the author has included a chapter on living inhabitants of the soil. The author briefly outlines certain relevant characteristics of plant roots. soil fauna and soil microorganisms excluding the fungi. He then devotes the remainder of the book to a detailed account of some of the important roles of the mycotlora in soil. The topics selected for detailed discussion include succession of fungi on an organic substrate buried in soil. factors controlling competitive saprophytic colonization, the importance of inoculum potential in competitive colonization. the survival of saprophytic fungi on colonized substrates and root infecting fungi including root pathogens and mycorrhizal fungi. It is in these latter chapters that the wealth of Professor Garrett’s knowledge becomes obvious, making the book a valuable reference source for undergraduate students who have a particular interest in the role of saprophytic soil fungi in the colonization of organic substrates in the soil. 9. J. MACAULEY
8. J. MACAULEY The FischerSmith Controversy: Are there Bacterial Diseases of Plants? by Alfred Fischer and Erwin F. Smith. Soil Fungi and Soil Fertility,
by S. D. Garrett. 2nd edn. Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1981. I50 pp. US $19.00. f7.90. ($9.50 and 24.00 flexicoverl. For most of his research career S. D. Garrett has studied soil fungi and soil fertility. He has made many important contributions in his field of study both by his own research efforts and by his inspirations of his many students who themselves have contributed in the Garrett tradition. Who better. then, to produce this second edition of “Soil Fungi and Soil Fertility”:’ This 150 page book is available in Rexi- and hardcovers. It consists of 9 chapters covering the soil as a habitat. types of soil organisms. the morphology. genetics and classifrcation of fungi, and ecological aspects of soil fungi such as methods of direct observation and isolation, saprophytic colonization and survival on substrates. and root-infecting parasitic and mycorrhizal fungi. The use of well-drawn figures and clear tables compliments the concise presentation of the text. In this second edition, Garrett has undertaken an extensive rewriting of many chapters. In the chapter on competitive saprophytic colonization, fungal succession has been modified and updated. and incorporated into this chapter are sections on substrate colonization and saprophytic competition which in the previous edition were in separate chapters. A largely new chapter on saprophytic survival and a completely new chapter on soil as a habitat bring the
Translated and prepared by C. Lee Campbell. Phytopathological Classics No. 13. The American Phytopathological Society. 1981. 65 pp. US $8.50. Phytopathological Classics reprints important papers in the development of phytopathology. Number 13 deals with the controversy between Alfred Fischer and Erwin F. Smith as to the existence of diseases of plants caused by bacteria. At the time Alfred Fischer was an established Professor of Botany at Leipzig University and Erwin F. Smith was Assistant Plant Pathologist in the United States Department of Agriculture. The controversy started when Fischer claimed in his “Lectures on Bacteria” that bacteria did not cause plant disease. This might have just been dismissed as an uninformed view of the subject if Fischer had not concluded that recent descriptions of bacterial plant diseases were “worthless descriptions” and “non-critical trials’*. Smith, who had recently published descriptions of a number of bacterial plant diseases. viewed this as a personal attack on his work and his scientific integrity. The resultant exchange of views between Fischer and Smith goes far beyond what would be considered normal scientific discussion. Although this volume is useful in that it translates and brings together important early work on bacterial plant disease. perhaps the most interesting aspect is the clash between the scientific establishment of the day (Germany) and a brash newcomer (the U.S.A.). A clash more about