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Diseases caused by pathogens

A pathogen is a living organism or virus directly capable of causing disease. The term “disease” is defined as a harmful deviation from the normal functioning of physiological processes. Many taxonomically diverse organisms become phytopathogenic (cause plant diseases) under suitable conditions. Plant pathogens can be categorized by their formal biological classification (taxonomy).

Index of disease names and scientific names of their causal pathogens

The entries for diseases caused by pathogens have sections containing nomenclature and taxonomy; general information and importance; distribution and hosts; tree parts affected; symptoms and signs; disease cycle; damage; prevention and management; photographs depicting various stages of the pathogen and the damage caused; and selected references.

Davisomycella ampla (J.J. Davis) Darker

Disease name: Tar spot needle cast

Delphinella balsameae (Waterm.) E. Müller

Disease name: Balsam fir tip blight

Diaporthe lokoyae Funk

Disease name: Phomopsis canker of douglas-fir

Didymascella thujina (E.J. Durand) Maire

Disease name: Cedar leaf blight

  • Revision 2024

Didymosporium arbuticola Zeller

Disease name: Leaf spot (Didymosporium arbuticola)

Diplodia blight

Pathogen name: Diplodia sapinea (Fr.) Fuckel

  • Revision 2025

Discocaninia canker

Pathogen name: Discocainia treleasei (Sacc.) Reid & Funk

Dogwood anthracnose

Pathogen name: Discula destructiva Redlin

Dothichiza canker of poplar

Pathogen name: Cryptodiaporthe populea (Sacc.) Butin

Dothistroma needle blight

Pathogen name: Mycosphaerella pini Rost. in Munk

Douglas fir dwarf mistletoe

Pathogen name: Arceuthobium douglasii Engelm.

Douglas-fir needle cast

Pathogen names:
  • Rhabdocline epiphylla (Parker & Reid) J.K. Stone & D.S. Gernandt
  • Rhabdocline oblonga (Parker & Reid) J.K. Stone & D.S. Gernandt
  • Rhabdocline obovata (Parker & Reid) J.K. Stone & D.S. Gernandt
  • Rhabdocline pseudotsugae Syd. 
  • Rhabdocline weirii A.K. Parker & J. Reid
  • Revision 2024

Dutch elm disease

Pathogen names:
  • Ophiostoma ulmi (Buisman) Nannf.
    • Ophiostoma novo-ulmi Brasier
    • Ophiostoma ulmi (Buisman) Nannf.
  • Revision 2025