The name ‘Pierce’ in Pierce’s disease refers to Newton B. Pierce, Special Agent to the Secretary of Agriculture, and California’s first professionally trained plant pathologist. His publication on the ‘California vine disease‘ characterized the disease that was later to bear his name. Although he was able to reject many of the prevailing explanations of what caused the grape disease, Pierce never was able to find the true cause. This is particularly ironic because his specialty was bacterial pathogens.
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RPPA 2016