Silver Leaf Disease

Silver leaf is a fungal disease of the wood and leaves of some trees, especially plums, apples, apricots and cherries. The fungus infects the wood through wounds and causes a silvering of the leaves followed by death of the branch.

Silver leaf fungus can infect people. A 61-year-old man was recently reported to have been infected with Chondrostereum purpureum, the fungus that causes silver leaf disease in plants, in the first reported case of its kind in India. This is a rare example of a plant pathogen crossing over into humans.

It speaks to the adaptability of the species and how specific conditions can trigger their effects.

We have seen the threat of fungi and how it is a potential danger to us. But, there are great benefits to the Kingdom Fungi. And we are taking a look at two of them here.