What are Koch's Postulates used for?

Koch's Postulates are a set of criteria established by Robert Koch in the 19th century that are used to identify the causative agents of infectious diseases. The postulates provide a systematic approach to determine whether a specific microorganism is responsible for a particular disease.

The process involves isolating the microorganism from a diseased host, cultivating it in pure culture, and then introducing it into a healthy host to observe if it causes the same disease. If the microorganism can be consistently identified in sick organisms, isolated, and shown to cause disease upon introduction to a healthy organism, it confirms the relationship between the microorganism and the disease.

This foundational method in microbiology is particularly relevant in the field of plant pathology, where understanding the specific pathogens responsible for plant diseases is crucial for effective management and control strategies. While the other options relate to agricultural practices and plant health, they do not specifically address the role of Koch's Postulates in identifying disease-causing microorganisms.