Ink painting/drawing of soybean sudden death syndrome (SDS) caused by the soilborne fungus Fusarium virguliforme.

The painting shows a symptomatic young soybean plant.

Working from the base to the top, there are two healthy green cotyledons, two lightly infected yellowing uni foliate leaves, and four sets of increasingly heavily infected trifoliate leaves. The tissue between the leaf veins turns yellow, then eventually brown. The symptoms become more pronounced towards the upper canopy.

The upper emerging leaves and terminal bud have died, and an aborted flower pod can be seen near the crown. A fallen, dead, detached leaf lies near the base.

Top: scanned image

Middle: photograph

Bottom: phytopoetry!