Purpose

This website serves as a comprehensive resource for viewing images and information about bacterial plant diseases from around the world. Created by Milton N. Schroth, Eva I. Hecht-Poinar, and Anne M. Alvarez from UC Berkeley and the University of Hawaii, the platform is designed for teachers, scientists, farm advisors, and backyard gardeners seeking diagnostic assistance.

The site contains over 1,000 images with characteristic symptoms and captions documenting pathogen names, host species, and disease identification. Multiple images often show progression stages as diseases develop. Additionally, 35 detailed narratives explain major disease categories including galls, rots, wilts, fasciations, and scabs.

Scope and Limitations

The creators acknowledge incomplete coverage — some bacterial diseases lack available images or contributors. Certain older slide images exhibit quality issues but remain included when no alternatives exist. Bacterial taxonomy information extends only through 2010, reflecting the ongoing challenge of tracking scientific reclassifications.

All images are free open access through the American Phytopathological Society, supporting unrestricted scientific information sharing. The database is accessible across computers and mobile devices, making it useful for remote diagnostic work in the field. The authors encourage future expansion with newly described diseases and improved image quality.