Plants are exposed to millions of bacteria, fungi, viruses and microscopic invertebrates every day.
Most of these are harmless scavengers which feed on dead organic matter. However, there are harmful plant pathogens which can infect plants and which are borne by soil, water, air, human contact, infected cuttings, transplantings and countless other methods.
Many different plant diseases often exhibit similar or even the same symptoms. This makes it difficult to diagnose.
There are ways, however, that the desert gardener, or any gardener for that matter, can assist in diagnosing specific plant diseases.
There is actually a seven-part process used to properly diagnose a plant disorder or disease.
You can read about pathogens, how they are transmitted, and diagnostic process in Plant Diseases in Desert Gardens
