An Improved Grading System for Measuring Plant Diseases

Heretofore, in recording severity of plant diseases by grading, the grades have been assigned equal values in percentage. According to the Weber-Fechner law, the human eye distinguishes according to the logarithm of the light intensity. Hence, the grades should be based on equal ability to distinguish, not on equal disease. Below 50 percent, the eye sees the amount of diseased tissue. Above 50 percent, it sees the amount of disease-free tissue. A new scoring system is based on 50 percent as a midpoint. The grades differ by a factor of two in either direction as follows: 1 = 0, 2 = 0 to 3, 3 = 3 to 6, to 12, 5 = 12 to 25, 6 = 25 to 50, 7 = 50 to 75, 8 = 75 to 87, 9 = 87 to 94, 10 = 94 to 97, 11 = 97 to 100, 12…