Landscape pathology is a research approach that can provide validation of the effectiveness of regional controls of forest disease at landcape scale on the rate of pathogen spread, occurrence and severity of diseases. So far few studies have been made on the disease epidemics in poplar plantations at landscape scale in China using the approaches and principles of landscape pathology. Little guidance is available for disease control for the managed poplar short-rotation forestry (SRF) communities at a landscape scale in China, which has the largest area of poplar SRF plantations in the world. Here we reported the results from the first study in China using the approach of landscape pathology on the occurrence characteristics of the disease syndromes in the short-rotation poplar plantations in Qingfeng County, Henan Province. We analyzed the effects of some stand characteristics of plantations on disease incidence (DI) and disease severity index (DSI) of individual trees. Within a 100km² area, DI varied significantly with stand age (F=4.711, P<0.001), tree densities (F= 3.890, P＝0.021) and the degree of canopy closure (F=11.122, P<0.001). DI in the stands younger than 4 years old was significantly lower than that in the stands older than 6 years old. DI reached the highest value at a stand age of 8 to 10 years. Overall DI was positively correlated with stand age (ranging from 1 to 12 years old) (R²=0.281, P<0.001), stands density (R²=0.195, P=0.003), and the degree of canopy closure (R²=0.246, P<0.001). DI was significantly lower in agro-forest stand patch than in other three patch types, i.e. isolated patch, pure stand patch and mixed stand patch. On the other hand, DSI was not significantly correlated with stand density, but varied significantly with tree varieties (F=2.693, P=0.013) and trees ages (F=1.917, P=0.004). DSI was highest in the stand about 10 to 12 years old for all poplar varieties we studied here. DSI of triploid clone of Populus tomentosa was significantly higher than all other varieties. Plantation density and plantation age were thus critical factors determining DI and DSI. Adjustment of stand density by thinning at different plantation age is a key approach to control the occurrence and epidemic of disease in short-rotation poplar plantations at landscape scale. Planting mode, which for instance develops short-rotation coppice culture with high density and 2 to 4 years rotation for biomass harvest, was also an effective way to prevent outbreaks of disease by avoiding higher DI and DSI occurred in the stands with longer rotation. Our study found that P. deltoids Bartr. CI. Lux I-69/55 and triploid clone of P. tomentosa were not suitable for large diameter timber in this area due to their high DSI after 6-year-old. Our study here shows that landscape pathology can help discriminate adaptive abilities of different varieties/clones in the same geographical region under the same climate and soil conditions.