potato blight
Definition
Noun: A plant disease, specifically a destructive fungal infection, that affects potato crops. This disease causes the rapid wilting, browning, and decay of the plant's leaves, stems, and tubers, often leading to severe crop loss.
Usage
The term "potato blight" is used to refer to the specific disease condition affecting potato plants. It is typically discussed in agricultural, historical, and botanical contexts. * The farmer's entire crop was destroyed by potato blight. * Scientists are researching resistant potato varieties to combat potato blight. * The Great Famine in Ireland was triggered by a severe outbreak of potato blight.
Advanced Usage
- Historical Context: "Potato blight" is most famously associated with the mid-19th century European, and particularly Irish, potato famines, where it had devastating socio-economic impacts.
- Causal Agent: The disease is caused by the oomycete pathogen . In scientific contexts, the disease may be called "late blight" to distinguish it from other potato diseases.
Variants and Related Words
- Late Blight (n): A more precise scientific name for the disease, also affecting tomatoes.
- Blight (n): A general term for any plant disease that causes withering and death without rotting.
Synonyms
- Late blight
- Potato disease
- Phytophthora blight (scientific)
Related Phrases
- Outbreak of blight: A sudden occurrence and spread of the disease.
- An outbreak of blight can ruin a harvest in just a few days.
- Resistant to blight: Describing a plant variety that is not easily affected by the disease.
- Modern cultivars are often bred to be resistant to blight.
Noun
-
a blight of potatoes
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