Plant Pathology (4th edn)

Abstract

It is nearly 10 years since the third edition of this venerable book appeared. The most obvious difference to the many students and plant pathologists familiar with this standard text is the increased size. Although 300 g heavier, the larger page size and improved design of the fourth edition means there are 20% fewer pages. The two column layout in a more appealing typeface is a marked improvement on the third edition and the 16 colour plates a welcome addition. These are grouped in the centre of the book and are of a high quality, but it is pity they lack captions. The instruction of ‘see page X’ does little to assist the browsing reader. The book is copiously illustrated with the hallmark Agrios diagrams and disease cycles, and has many black and white photographs. The quality of the black and white photographs remains variable whilst some of the diagrams lack the tonal ranges seen in the third edition. The arrangement of chapters is the same as the third edition with the notable exception of an expanded introduction and the removal of the final part on application of biotechnology in plant pathology. Agrios notes that special efforts have been made to incorporate the latest developments in taxonomy, classification and nomenclature of plant pathogens and new information on diseases themselves. It is curious to note that the Dictionary of the Fungi is not included in the selected references on page 260 (nor did it appear in the third edition). Similarly, thre is no reference to the seminal texts by Ainsworth on the history of mycology or plant pathology in the expanded introduction to the fourth edition. Agrios has made an admirable effort to show the wider relevance and importance of plant pathology yet the emphasis throughout the book is on the USA. This is slighly disappointing given that the general appeal of the book (and presumably sales) extends far beyond. Sections dealing with fundamental principles and features of plant pathogens are well explained and discussed but it is a missed opportunity not to have expanded the coverage to more plant diseases of tropical countries. There is a short section on the international centres for agricultural research, where considerable amounts of research on plant diseases have been carried out, and a table highlighting major plant diseases, but tropical coverage of the book remains limited. This is slightly at variance with the ‘worldwide’ readership sought by the Agrios promotion on Academic Press's homepage (www.apnet.com). The book mainly addresses diseases of managed plants; those used for agriculture and forestry. I could find no mention of the study of disease in wild populations of plants. Wild relatives of crop plants are a particularly important source of resistant material; plant domestication is threatened by movement of co-evolved pathogens from natural populations, whilst the role of pathogens in determining the diversity of tropical rain forests is becoming more apparent. Interest in all these areas is increasing and some discussion of these topics would have been useful. Plant pathologists also have a role to play in the debate about plant biodiversity and conservation. The book has two groups of users: the undergraduate or postgraduate student learning about plant pathology generally or discovering that there is a relevance to plant pathogens beyond the narrow confines of a molecular biology lab; it is also a handy reference for scientists who have wandered away from the bench and need a single reference containing up-to-date facts. It is difficult, minor caveats apart, to fault the endeavour and vision that has driven a single author to produce such a comprehensive book. There are concerns about an emphasis on the USA, but this should not detract from the overall utility of this well-presented book. More general texts are sorely needed to counter the burgeoning publication of proceedings, workshops and narrow-interest books, many of which use plant pathogens as an excuse to do laboratory science. Agrios remains an outstanding textbook and one you can with confidence recommend to students — or sneak a look at to refresh a tired brain. One question remains: Who will continue the task for the fifth edition?