Blight

Blight is the name for any of a number of diseases affecting many species of plants. Common symptoms of infection include wilting of the leaves, or the appearances of brownish spots, or lesions, on leaves or stems. Causes of blight include fungal (e.g. Botrytis), bacterial (e.g. Erwinia), or viral infection.

Some occurrences of blight have been devastating to whole species of plants, and to the people who depend on them. The Irish Potato Famine was caused by potato blight, and North American forests have been ravaged by chestnut blight.

See also

• Chestnut blight
• Dutch elm disease
• Fireblight
• Potato blight