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Vegetable crop diseases
Scientia Horticulturae, 18 (1982/83) 191--193
191
Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, Amsterdam -- Printed in The Netherlands
Book Renews V E GE TAB LE DISEASES
Vegetable Crop Diseases, b y G.R. Dixon. Macmillan, London and Basingstoke, 1981, 404 pp., £35.00 H/B, ISBN 0-333-23574-6. For some years there has been a need for a comprehensive b o o k bringing together the results of recent investigations into the nature and control of vegetable diseases. Vegetable Crop Diseases goes some way towards fulfilling this need b u t is, none the less, a curious and exasperating book. The opening chapter describes the classes of organisms that act as pathogens and lists the various types of s y m p t o m s encountered. Then follow three chapters giving overviews of past and recent developments in plant pathology, whose omission would, I believe, have greatly improved the balance of the b o o k . The approach in these chapters is superficial and uneven and there are few references back to them later in the book. The section on epidem, iology is academic and elementary and appears to have little connection with the remainder of the book. The section on fungicides contains a number of omissions; in particular there is no mention of the dicarboximides, although there are several references to the use of iprodione in later chapters, and there is no account of the choice of application methods. However, the section on pathogen race and strain determination does provide a useful introduction to the descriptions of their application for specific diseases. Those interested in the other topics, even at an elementary level, will probably find it profitable to ignore these chapters and turn instead to some of the more comprehensive recent treatises, such as those by Zadoks and Schein, Epidemics and Plant Disease Management, and by Cremlyn, Pesticides. The final eight chapters of the b o o k each describe the vegetable crops of a single plant family. The author disclaims any intention of reviewing all vegetable diseases or all crops. His selection of pathogens, apart from the viruses, is decidedly Eurocentric, b u t the references q u o t e d are more cosmopolitan. The s y m p t o m s of each disease are clearly described, which is very necessary as the illustrations are inadequate, both in number and quality. Then follows a detailed account of the physiology and control of each disease. Many of the statements made are supported by references, b u t it would be interesting to k n o w the origin of some information, e.g. a recommendation for the control of early blight in tomatoes b y the use of benzimidazole sprays. Those using the b o o k to help identify diseases would no d o u b t have appreciated a diagnostic key, based on symptomology, at the beginning of each chapter. Despite the author's caveat in regard to his selection of material, there are some surprising omissions both in regard to pathogens (e.g. Xanthomonas campestris, Athelia ( Corticium ) rolfsii) and to hosts (e.g. Ipomoea spp. and many Cucurbitaceous vegetables receive only a passing mention).
192
The general standard o f production of this book, except for the photographic illustrations, is very high. With one notable exception (the unfortunate transposing of the fungicide names in Figs. 4.6 and 4.7) there are few editorial errors. However, although the b o o k gives useful detail on individual vegetable diseases it hardly lives up to the title, which leads the reader to expect a more comprehensive treatment than is given of the topic in general. W.F.T. HARTILL DSIR, Plant Diseases Division Private Bag, Auckland N e w Zealand
GLASSHOUSE CROPS
Nutritional Disorders in Glasshouse Tomatoes, Cucumbers and Lettuce, b y J.P.N.L. R o o r d a van Eysinga and K.W. Smilde. Pudoc, Wageningen, The Netherlands, 1981, 130 pp., 77 photos (full colour), 253 references, cloth Dfl. 70.00, ISBN 90-220-0737-5. This b o o k is a revised amalgamation of the three previous ones b y the same authors (Tomatoes w 1968, Cucumbers and Gherkins -- 1969, Lettuce -- 1971). The layout is very much as before, with one disorder described on each right-hand page, and the coloured plate or plates illustrating it on the facing page. The contrast and colour balance of many of the plates has changed rather dramatically (and unfavourably in most cases) since the previous edition. Deficiencies of 12 major and minor elements are described and illustrated, including some such as sulphur, which have n o t y e t been seen in the commercial situation. However, with increasing use of unconventional substrates and nutrient film technique, this is no bad thing. Four toxicities (nitrogen, boron, manganese and zinc) are also included, but the pages on tipburn and aluminium toxicity in the previous lettuce b o o k l e t have been dropped. The form o f the text is somewhat different from before. For each disorder there is one paragraph describing the symptoms, another on the incidence (i.e. circumstances in which the disorder may occur), recommendations for preventing or curing the disorder, and a list of references. The latter, although n o w very numerous, have been separated from the text so that the reader no longer knows to what particular point they refer. This, I feel, is a retrogade step. Also, the analytical values for deficient, normal, and excessive concentrations of elements in leaves have been removed from the paragraph on the overall syndrome description and placed in tables in the back of the book. Whether y o u prefer this is a matter of taste, but the units n o w used -- mols or millimols per kg -- could prove rather confusing to those of us weaned on percentages and p.p.m. The value of a b o o k o f this kind depends u p o n the degree of success which the user achieves in diagnosing crop problems, and this in turn de-
191
Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, Amsterdam -- Printed in The Netherlands
Book Renews V E GE TAB LE DISEASES
Vegetable Crop Diseases, b y G.R. Dixon. Macmillan, London and Basingstoke, 1981, 404 pp., £35.00 H/B, ISBN 0-333-23574-6. For some years there has been a need for a comprehensive b o o k bringing together the results of recent investigations into the nature and control of vegetable diseases. Vegetable Crop Diseases goes some way towards fulfilling this need b u t is, none the less, a curious and exasperating book. The opening chapter describes the classes of organisms that act as pathogens and lists the various types of s y m p t o m s encountered. Then follow three chapters giving overviews of past and recent developments in plant pathology, whose omission would, I believe, have greatly improved the balance of the b o o k . The approach in these chapters is superficial and uneven and there are few references back to them later in the book. The section on epidem, iology is academic and elementary and appears to have little connection with the remainder of the book. The section on fungicides contains a number of omissions; in particular there is no mention of the dicarboximides, although there are several references to the use of iprodione in later chapters, and there is no account of the choice of application methods. However, the section on pathogen race and strain determination does provide a useful introduction to the descriptions of their application for specific diseases. Those interested in the other topics, even at an elementary level, will probably find it profitable to ignore these chapters and turn instead to some of the more comprehensive recent treatises, such as those by Zadoks and Schein, Epidemics and Plant Disease Management, and by Cremlyn, Pesticides. The final eight chapters of the b o o k each describe the vegetable crops of a single plant family. The author disclaims any intention of reviewing all vegetable diseases or all crops. His selection of pathogens, apart from the viruses, is decidedly Eurocentric, b u t the references q u o t e d are more cosmopolitan. The s y m p t o m s of each disease are clearly described, which is very necessary as the illustrations are inadequate, both in number and quality. Then follows a detailed account of the physiology and control of each disease. Many of the statements made are supported by references, b u t it would be interesting to k n o w the origin of some information, e.g. a recommendation for the control of early blight in tomatoes b y the use of benzimidazole sprays. Those using the b o o k to help identify diseases would no d o u b t have appreciated a diagnostic key, based on symptomology, at the beginning of each chapter. Despite the author's caveat in regard to his selection of material, there are some surprising omissions both in regard to pathogens (e.g. Xanthomonas campestris, Athelia ( Corticium ) rolfsii) and to hosts (e.g. Ipomoea spp. and many Cucurbitaceous vegetables receive only a passing mention).
192
The general standard o f production of this book, except for the photographic illustrations, is very high. With one notable exception (the unfortunate transposing of the fungicide names in Figs. 4.6 and 4.7) there are few editorial errors. However, although the b o o k gives useful detail on individual vegetable diseases it hardly lives up to the title, which leads the reader to expect a more comprehensive treatment than is given of the topic in general. W.F.T. HARTILL DSIR, Plant Diseases Division Private Bag, Auckland N e w Zealand
GLASSHOUSE CROPS
Nutritional Disorders in Glasshouse Tomatoes, Cucumbers and Lettuce, b y J.P.N.L. R o o r d a van Eysinga and K.W. Smilde. Pudoc, Wageningen, The Netherlands, 1981, 130 pp., 77 photos (full colour), 253 references, cloth Dfl. 70.00, ISBN 90-220-0737-5. This b o o k is a revised amalgamation of the three previous ones b y the same authors (Tomatoes w 1968, Cucumbers and Gherkins -- 1969, Lettuce -- 1971). The layout is very much as before, with one disorder described on each right-hand page, and the coloured plate or plates illustrating it on the facing page. The contrast and colour balance of many of the plates has changed rather dramatically (and unfavourably in most cases) since the previous edition. Deficiencies of 12 major and minor elements are described and illustrated, including some such as sulphur, which have n o t y e t been seen in the commercial situation. However, with increasing use of unconventional substrates and nutrient film technique, this is no bad thing. Four toxicities (nitrogen, boron, manganese and zinc) are also included, but the pages on tipburn and aluminium toxicity in the previous lettuce b o o k l e t have been dropped. The form o f the text is somewhat different from before. For each disorder there is one paragraph describing the symptoms, another on the incidence (i.e. circumstances in which the disorder may occur), recommendations for preventing or curing the disorder, and a list of references. The latter, although n o w very numerous, have been separated from the text so that the reader no longer knows to what particular point they refer. This, I feel, is a retrogade step. Also, the analytical values for deficient, normal, and excessive concentrations of elements in leaves have been removed from the paragraph on the overall syndrome description and placed in tables in the back of the book. Whether y o u prefer this is a matter of taste, but the units n o w used -- mols or millimols per kg -- could prove rather confusing to those of us weaned on percentages and p.p.m. The value of a b o o k o f this kind depends u p o n the degree of success which the user achieves in diagnosing crop problems, and this in turn de-