late blight
Low (Specialized)Technical/Agricultural, Historical, Figurative
Definition
Meaning
A highly destructive and fast-spreading fungal disease, primarily affecting potatoes and tomatoes, caused by the pathogen Phytophthora infestans, characterized by rapid tissue decay, dark lesions, and white mould in damp conditions.
Often used metaphorically to describe any phenomenon that causes sudden, widespread, and catastrophic failure or collapse, analogous to the disease's effect on crops. The term historically references the Irish Potato Famine.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term is compound and highly specific; 'late' distinguishes it from 'early blight', another disease, referring to its typical manifestation later in the growing season. It is a count noun (e.g., 'an outbreak of late blight').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical difference. Usage is identical in technical contexts. The metaphorical use might be slightly more common in UK historical/writing contexts due to the prominence of the Irish Famine in British Isles history.
Connotations
Strongly negative, with historical weight in UK/Irish contexts. In US, may be more purely technical for gardeners/farmers, though the historical reference is known.
Frequency
Very low in general discourse, but has comparable frequency in agricultural/horticultural writing in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[NP] caused/causes late blight[NP] is/are affected by late blight[NP] triggered an outbreak of late blightLate blight devastated [NP]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A late blight on their plans/success (metaphorical)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in agribusiness reports on crop failures or biotech companies developing resistant strains.
Academic
Common in agricultural science, plant pathology, history (especially 19th-century economic/social history), and environmental studies.
Everyday
Very rare, limited to gardeners and allotment holders discussing problems with potatoes/tomatoes.
Technical
The primary register. Used with precision in phytopathology, farming manuals, and agricultural extension services.
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- The allotment society issued a warning about late blight after the wet summer.
- Historical records trace the famine to the introduction of late blight.
American English
- Gardeners in the Northeast are on high alert for late blight this season.
- The commercial potato crop was wiped out by an aggressive strain of late blight.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The tomatoes got a disease called late blight.
- Late blight can destroy a potato crop very quickly.
- Farmers are struggling to control an outbreak of late blight in the main growing region.
- The development of resistant varieties is crucial for managing late blight.
- The economic impact of the 1840s famine, precipitated by Phytophthora infestans or late blight, reshaped Irish society.
- Modern fungicide regimens are designed to protect crops during conditions conducive to late blight.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'It's too LATE to save the plant when you see the BLIGHT.' The disease acts fast.
Conceptual Metaphor
CATASTROPHE IS A PLAGUE/DISEASE (e.g., 'Corruption was a late blight on the administration's achievements').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate as 'поздняя болезнь' (late illness). The established term is 'фитофтороз' (phytophthorosis) or 'поздняя гниль' (late rot). 'Blight' here is not general decay, but a specific disease.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'late blight' for any plant disease (it's specific).
- Writing it as 'late-blight' (it's an open compound).
- Confusing it with 'early blight' (a different, less aggressive disease).
Practice
Quiz
Which of these is a key characteristic of late blight?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
They are different diseases caused by different pathogens. Early blight (Alternaria solani) appears earlier in the season, progresses slower, and causes concentric ring lesions. Late blight (Phytophthora infestans) appears later, spreads explosively in wet weather, and causes dark, water-soaked lesions with white mould.
Yes, but it is most notorious and damaging on potatoes and tomatoes. It can also affect other plants in the nightshade family (Solanaceae), like aubergines (eggplants) and some weeds, but these are less common hosts.
Yes, it remains one of the most significant threats to global potato and tomato production. While resistant varieties and fungicides help manage it, new strains of the pathogen continue to evolve, posing ongoing challenges.
The 'late' refers to its typical appearance later in the growing season (mid to late summer), compared to 'early blight', which can appear sooner. It is not related to the time of day.