Horsfall-Barratt scale

The Horsfall-Barratt scale [1][2][3][4]is a system used in plant pathology to assess plant diseases where each plant is assigned a numerical value according to the percentage of leaf area showing disease symptoms. The Horsfall-Barratt scale was designed by James G. Horsfall and R.W. Barratt to compensate for human error (and logarithmic laws of perception) in estimating the amount of disease present. The scale is as follows:

Index	Percent Affected
1	0
2	0 to 3
3	3 to 6
4	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	100

The scale is often used in modified form with index values from 0–11 or with different numbers of index points.

References

1. Horsfall, J. G.; Barratt, R. W. (1945), "An Improved Grading System for Measuring Plant Disease. (Abstract.)", Phytopathology, American Phytopathological Society, 35: 655
2. "This Week's Citation Classic" (PDF). Current Contents. Institute for Scientific Information (15): 14. 14 April 1986.
3. Horsfall, J G (1945). "Fungicides and their action". Chronica Botanica. Waltham, Massachusetts: 1–239. ISBN 9788172680022. (Fungicides and Their Action at Google Books)
4. Horsfall, J G; Cowling, E B (1978). "Pathometry: the measurement of plant disease". In Horsfall, J G; Cowling, E B (eds.). Plant disease: an advanced treatise. Volume II: How disease develops in populations. New York City: Academic Press. pp. 119–36.

Further reading

• Bock, C. H.; Gottwald, T. R.; Parker, P. E.; Ferrandino, F.; Welham, S.; van den Bosch, F.; Parnell, S. (2010). "Some Consequences of Using the Horsfall-Barratt Scale for Hypothesis Testing". Phytopathology. American Phytopathological Society. 100 (10): 1030–1041. doi:10.1094/phyto-08-09-0220. ISSN 0031-949X.