From the Introduction:

The genus Alternaria was established in 1817 by Nees. According to M. B. Ellis (1971, 1976), it contains 44 species. A different number of species has been established by other taxonomists, mainly by combining several existing species into one or by dividing one species into several. Not being a taxonomic treatise, this book does not dispute the taxonomic position of Alternaria species and employs the epithets most commonly used in the literature.

The Genus Alternaria: Biology, Epidemiology, and Pathogenicity

Introduction

The Fungi
Geographical Distribution
Amassing Information
The Layout of This Book

Species, Formae Speciales, and Strains

The Genus
The Species
Identification of Species
Tips for Morphological Differentiation of Species
Pathogenic Criteria of Identification
Formae Speciales, Pathotypes, Races, and Biotypes
Nuclear Variability in Alternaria
The Taxonomic Dilemma

Predisposing and Age-Conditioned Influences on Susceptibility

Proving Changes in Susceptibility
Predisposition by Wounds and Vectors
Effect of Age on Susceptibility
Effect of Yield
Conditions of Growth
Nutrition
The Theory of Low-Sugar Diseases
More About Stress

Sporulation

Formation of Conidiophores and Initiation of Conidiation
The Two Phases of Sporulation
Inhibition of the Terminal Phase by Light
More About Photomorphogenesis
Light in Sporulation in Vivo
Interaction Between Disease and Temperature in Vivo
Humidity and Time Factors
The Infectious Period
Sporulation Mechanisms in Culture
The Gaps in Our Knowledge of Sporulation

Infection

The Leaf--The Main Target of Infection
Germ Tubes and Hyphae
Germination
Self-Inhibition of Germination
Penetration
Effects of Temperature and Wetting on Infection
Quiescent Infection and Postharvest Diseases
Seed Infection
The Similarity of Infection Processes of Various Alternaria Species

The Biotic and Physiological Components of Pathogenesis

Invasion
Defense Mechanisms
The Diseased Plant
Effects on Photosynthesis and Growth
Senescence and Defoliation
Epilogue

Survival and Overseasoning

Survival Structures
Environmental Effects
Short-Term Survival
Overseasoning and Long-Term Survival
Conditions for Overseasoning in Debris
Effectiveness of Transmission from Seeds and Debris to Seedlings
The Role of the Survival Factor in Pathogenesis

Dispersal

Mechanisms of Release
Relation of Dispersal to Sporulation
Seasonal Pattern of Dispersal
More About the Effect of Weather
Diurnal Dispersal
Spore Reserve: The Mechanism That Regulates Dispersal
Epilogue

The Effect of Weather on Epidemics

Temperature
Moisture Factors
Combined Effects of Several Weather Factors
Environmental Flexibility of Alternaria Diseases

Forecasters, Simulators, and Control

The Suitability of Various Diseases for Forecasting
Forecasters and Simulators of Alternaria Diseases
The Background of Various Criteria

Crop and Yield Losses

Effect of Disease Intensity on Yield Loss
Categories of Yield Loss
Potato: Loss Through Decrease in Photosynthesis
Models of Yield Loss in Potato
Models of Yield Loss in Muskmelons
Seeds and Seedlings: Loss by Direct Destruction
Oil Crops: The Components of Loss
Cotton: Loss Through Abscission of Leaves
Blemishes on Fruits and Flowers
Tomato: The Crop Vulnerable to All Damages
Tobacco: Loss Through Inferior Taste of Smoke
The Gaps in Our Knowledge of Loss

Resistance and Breeding

Temporary and Permanent Resistance
Indices of Resistance
Sources of Resistance
Cytoplasmic, Somaclonal, Radiation, and Toxin Techniques in Breeding
Genetic Identification of Resistance
Prospects for Unconventional Breeding Methods

Our Knowledge of Alternaria Pathogens and Diseases

Alternaria solani and A. alternata on Potato, Tomato, and Pepper
Alternaria macrospora and A. alternata on Cotton
Alternaria carthami and A. alternata on Safflower
Alternaria triticina and A. alternate on Wheat
Summing Up Alternaria alternata
Thoughts About Future Research

The Hypothesis of Ecological and Physiological Affinities Between Pathogenic Alternarias

The Hypothesis
Epidemics
Epilogue