ABSTRACT
Epidemiology is the study of factors that lead to an increase in disease in a population. Understanding the reasons why diseases increase in populations of plants and what can influence those increases can contribute to decisions concerning plant disease management. The ability of humans to produce food and fiber is, in part, limited by their ability to manage plant diseases. Thus, plant disease epidemiology has contributed to the highly technological culture in which we currently live. Concepts related to plant disease epidemiology will be discussed in this chapter.
