black root rot

noun

, Plant Pathology.

1. any of several diseases of plants characterized by black or brown lesions on the root.
2. a common disease of the apple caused by the fungus Xylaria mali.
3. a disease of tobacco caused by the fungus Thielaviopsis basicola and characterized by retarded growth and wilting.

Word History and Origins

Origin of black root rot¹

First recorded in 1905–10