If you read seed and plant catalogs like they are novels (as I do), you’ve seen the term “disease resistant.” Like all plant breeding, selecting plants for disease resistance is a time consuming, scientific process. The process has potential to be very profitable for plant breeders. Many agricultural and ornamental plants are bred for disease resistance.
The first thing to watch for is that you understand WHAT disease a particular plant is prone to. For example, I frequently have powdery mildew affecting my squash plants – as you can see in this picture. Since it’s so dry here, I don’t see Alternaria leaf blight, another disease that frequently infests squash plants. Therefore, I need to get zucchini seeds that are marked ‘PM resistant,’ not just ‘disease resistant.’ Good seed and plant producers will be clear on their labeling.
The second potential misunderstanding is that ‘resistant’ does not mean immune. The American Horticulture Society is working to standardize the wording used in marketing for disease and stress resistance. We may soon see more accurate verbiage including:
- Less sensitive to…
- Tolerant of…
- Exceptional resistance to…
- Immune to…
Not many plant producers are willing to label a plant immune – mostly they “resistant.” There are no guarantees the plant won’t still be affected by the particular pathogen. This is especially true when there are additional environmental pressures; such as, drought, insect infestations, etc.
Plant cultivars bred for disease resistance are healthier, prettier, and live longer. The kind of plants we all want in our yards!
