Henry Tryon-the true discoverer of the potato brown rot pathogen, Ralstonia solanacearum
Article
Ryley, Malcolm J.. 2024. "Henry Tryon-the true discoverer of the potato brown rot pathogen, Ralstonia solanacearum." Historical Records of Australian Science. 35 (2), pp. 142-150. https://doi.org/10.1071/HR23007
| Article Title | Henry Tryon-the true discoverer of the potato brown rot pathogen, Ralstonia solanacearum |
|---|---|
| ERA Journal ID | 3482 |
| Article Category | Article |
| Authors | Ryley, Malcolm J. |
| Journal Title | Historical Records of Australian Science |
| Journal Citation | 35 (2), pp. 142-150 |
| Number of Pages | 9 |
| Year | 2024 |
| Publisher | CSIRO Publishing |
| Place of Publication | Australia |
| ISSN | 0727-3061 |
| 1448-5508 | |
| Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1071/HR23007 |
| Web Address (URL) | https://www.publish.csiro.au/HR/HR23007 |
| Abstract | Within a few years of the establishment of the convict settlement at Sydney Cove, the potato became one of the staple crops of the population due to its relatively high yield and the prior experience of the convicts and free settlers with growing the crop. In 1894, Henry Tryon described a new disease in southern Queensland that caused rapid wilting of plants, a ring of slightly translucent tissue just below the surface of affected tubers, oozing of a thick, white fluid from the 'eyes', and ultimately rotting of the tubers. It soon became known as 'Tryon's disease'. He found that a microbe (bacterium) was always associated with affected tubers and stems, provided a very brief description of the bacterial cells and named the microbe Bacillus vascularum solani. A few years later the American scientist Erwin Frink Smith wrote a paper on a new disease (brown rot) of solanaceous plants including the potato and tomato, in which he called the causal agent Pseudomonas solanacearum, now known as Ralstonia solanacearum. Smith dismissed Tryon's prior claim to the discovery of the disease with some of his comments being personal and scathing. Tryon had the last word, however, cloaking his response in restrained and somewhat convoluted tones. |
| Keywords | Bacillus solanacearum; bacterial wilt; brown rot; Erwin Frink Smit; Henry Tryon; potato; Ralstonia solanacearum; Tryon’s disease |
| Contains Sensitive Content | Does not contain sensitive content |
| ANZSRC Field of Research 2020 | 300499. Crop and pasture production not elsewhere classified |
| Byline Affiliations | Centre for Crop Health |
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https://research.usq.edu.au/item/z9948/henry-tryon-the-true-discoverer-of-the-potato-brown-rot-pathogen-ralstonia-solanacearum
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