crown gall

noun

: a disease that affects many species of plants and is caused by a bacterium (Agrobacterium tumefaciens) which forms tumorous enlargements usually just below the ground on the stem

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

Understanding how the crown gall bacteria altered plant cells without destroying them was a critical breakthrough, one that opened an entirely new set of possibilities. —Andrew Curry, Discover Magazine, 13 Mar. 2013

Plants can also get cancer, like the tree tumor known as a crown gall. —New York Times, 25 May 2022

The tumorlike growths at the base of the trunk and on the rootball appear to be crown gall, Agrobacterium tumefaciens. —oregonlive, 13 Mar. 2022

Common pests & diseases Black spot and powdery mildew are common fungal diseases, while crown gall disease may occur less commonly. —Earl Nickel, SFChronicle.com, 7 Aug. 2020

Word History

First Known Use

1894, in the meaning defined above