Plant Pathology at the Rothamsted Experimental Station

Abstract

A USEFUL report by C. Bawden from the Department of Plant Pathology and Section of Biochemistry (Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden, 1947. Is. net) covering the years 1939— 45 provides an informative summary of certain aspects of research in mycology, plant virus diseases and related biochemical problems. Before 1939, virus research in this Department dealt with insect vectors, the cytology of infected plants, purification of the virus, and the chemical, physical and serological properties of viruses. This work has been continued ; but, in addition, much field work on factors affecting the rate of spread of virus diseases in potato and sugar beet has been undertaken. Mycological work has been concentrated largely on the study of soil-borne fungi, the control of which constitutes a major challenge to plant pathology. Ophiobolus graminis, Fusarium spp., Plasmodiophora brassicce, Cercosporella herpotrichoides and Helicobasidium purpureum are the disease-producing fungi which have received most attention. The Section of Biochemistry was established in 1940, under the direction of N. W. Pirie. It was originally an offshoot of the Plant Pathology Department, but has now become separate as the work has extended. Work on purification of virus extracts raised some problems with plant enzymes and other systems, which now form an important theme of work in the Section. Most of the published work of the Department and Section has been reviewed in these columns from time to time ; the collected accounts in this report will be of value to teachers, advisory officers and others who require a summary of published literature, with an overall digest of its significance.