Plants that do not receive the right amount of sunlight to meet their cultural requirements become stressed. This may make them more susceptible to infection. Light sandy soil low in organic matter favors growth of many types of nematodes. Soil pH affects pathogen development in some diseases. Clubroot of cabbage occurs in soils with a low pH, for example.
Fertility affects a plant's growth rate and ability to defend against disease.
Excessive nitrogen fertilization can increase susceptibility to pathogen attack. This can contribute to certain patch diseases in lawns. Nitrogen deficiency results in limited growth and plant stress which may cause greater disease susceptibility.