Dr. D.P. Tripathi, Professor at C.S. Azad University of Agriculture & Technology, Kanpur (U.P.), obtained degree of B.Sc. (Ag.) from University of Gorakhpur in 1966 and served as Lecturer (Agriculture) in a Teacher's Training College during 1967. He received degree of M.Sc. (Ag.) (Plant Pathology) standing first class first from Government Agricultural College, Kanpur affiliated with Kanpur University in 1969 and received degree of Ph.D. from C.S. Azad University of Agric. and Tech., Kanpur (U.P.) in 1983. He took long term advanced hand on training and expertise in `Molecular Diagnostics' from IARI, New Delhi. Academically, he is also qualified in Law and Indian Medicine. Having experience of more than 35 years as teacher and scientist, he worked on different diseases of economic crops for their management and taught various courses both at under graduate and post graduate levels. He has published many research papers related with crop diseases management in reputed journals and is member of various academic societies. He is Honorary Secretary of Social Welfare Research and Development Society, Kanpur. In addition to this book, Dr. Tripathi has authored five other books entitled `A Text Book of Plant Pathology', `Introductory Plant Virology', `Introductory Mycology'  and `Mushroom Cultivation' (one in Hindi and other in English).