Root Fungus Control Challenge Quiz

Explore effective strategies, signs, and prevention techniques for managing root diseases in horticultural crops. Enhance your understanding of soil health, diagnosis, and biological controls with this engaging medium-difficulty quiz.

1. Identifying Root Rot Symptoms

   A young tomato plant has wilted leaves, poor growth, and brown, mushy roots; which root disease is it likely experiencing?

   1. Downy mildew
   2. Powdery mildew
   3. Leaf blight
   4. Root rot

   Explanation: Root rot is characterized by wilted leaves, stunted growth, and brown, decayed root tissue. Powdery mildew and downy mildew mainly affect above-ground parts, causing white or grayish fungal growth. Leaf blight presents as brown spots on the leaves, not the roots.

2. Cultural Practice for Disease Prevention

   What is an effective cultural practice to reduce the risk of root diseases in horticultural crops?

   1. Increase overhead watering
   2. Plant in heavy, compacted clay
   3. Improve soil drainage
   4. Apply foliar fertilizers only

   Explanation: Improving soil drainage prevents waterlogging, which creates conditions favorable for root-infecting pathogens. Increasing overhead watering can increase disease spread, foliar fertilizers do not address root environment, and planting in compacted clay increases risk of disease.

3. Biological Control Agents

   Which of the following is a biological control agent commonly used against soil-borne root fungi?

   1. Trichoderma
   2. Carbaryl
   3. Copper sulfate
   4. Glyphosate

   Explanation: Trichoderma is an antagonistic fungus widely used as a biological control agent against root pathogens. Glyphosate is an herbicide, copper sulfate is primarily a fungicide for foliar diseases, and carbaryl is an insecticide.

4. Chemical Soil Treatments

   Why should chemical soil fungicides be used cautiously when managing root diseases in horticultural systems?

   1. They prevent all forms of plant competition
   2. They make soil too acidic for plants
   3. They always increase nutrient uptake
   4. They can harm beneficial soil organisms

   Explanation: Chemical fungicides can negatively impact helpful microorganisms in the soil, disrupting the ecological balance. They do not inherently increase nutrient uptake or prevent plant competition, and most do not significantly alter soil pH.

5. Resistant Crop Varieties

   What is a key advantage of choosing disease-resistant crop varieties for root fungus management?

   1. Faster seed germination under all conditions
   2. Reduced need for direct chemical treatments
   3. Guaranteed elimination of all root pathogens
   4. Double harvest yield every season

   Explanation: Disease-resistant varieties often require fewer fungicide applications, lowering chemical use and costs. They do not guarantee complete pathogen elimination, don't necessarily speed up germination, and do not ensure double yield.