Plants regularly come into contact with a wide range of pathogens, including bacteria, fungi and viruses. Pathogenic infections are responsible for significant yield losses in numerous economically and medicinally important crop species, posing a challenge to global food security and the agricultural industry. In order to minimize the impact of crop diseases, scientists are exploring novel cost-effective and sustainable strategies to tackle phytopathogens in the field. However, the success rate of these approaches can vary depending upon the environmental context and pathogen in question.
The most commonly used approach is the application of chemicals. Whilst agrochemicals have historically been effective in controlling disease outbreaks, these chemicals can pose potential health threats to consumers, as well as impact soil health and pollute agricultural ecosystems. A popular alternative approach is the application of biocontrol agents, where chemicals are replaced with microbial consortia or microbial strains that have shown to control the spread of another microbial species. Trichoderma and Psuedomonas spp. have especially shown impressive results against soilborne pathogens, such as Fusarium, Rhizoctania and Scleroctania species. Furthermore, natural small molecules which trigger and boost the internal defense signaling cascade can be utilized to bolster general plant immunity against pathogens. More recently with advances in nanotechnology, nanoparticles have been used as protectants (e.g. gold and silver nanoparticles) or as targeted carriers for fungicides.
In addition to these traditional practices, scientists are also investigating plant breeding and engineering strategies which could potentially target a broad spectrum of pathogens or generate new disease-resistant crops. For example, crops with resistance to a number of pathogens can be produced using gene pyramiding, which involves introducing multiple genes of interest into a single genotype through either traditional breeding approaches or DNA technology (producing genetically-modified (GM) crops). As such, there is great interest in identifying novel genes responsible for disease resistance from various different plant species, for use in gene pyramiding approaches. Recently, gene-editing techniques, such as CRISPR/Cas9 have been successfully implemented to enhance disease resistance in several important crops, including wheat, cacao, rice, tomato and grape. Plant engineering and breeding approaches offer a long-term and environmentally sustainable solution to disease management.
The editors encourage Original Research, Reviews, Mini-Reviews and Method papers on the following topics (but not limited to):
1. Next generation agrochemicals against phytopathogens.
2. Next generation solutions for post-harvest diseases of fruits and vegetables.
3. Next generation advancement of molecular techniques (viz. gene pyramiding, CRISPR/Cas technique, identification of new gene etc.) against phytopathogens.
4. Plant disease management through novel formulations of bio-control agent.
5. Microbiome application for disease resistance.
6. Bi-modal action of microbe-based formulation promoting plant growth and acting against phytopathogens.
Plants regularly come into contact with a wide range of pathogens, including bacteria, fungi and viruses. Pathogenic infections are responsible for significant yield losses in numerous economically and medicinally important crop species, posing a challenge to global food security and the agricultural industry. In order to minimize the impact of crop diseases, scientists are exploring novel cost-effective and sustainable strategies to tackle phytopathogens in the field. However, the success rate of these approaches can vary depending upon the environmental context and pathogen in question.
The most commonly used approach is the application of chemicals. Whilst agrochemicals have historically been effective in controlling disease outbreaks, these chemicals can pose potential health threats to consumers, as well as impact soil health and pollute agricultural ecosystems. A popular alternative approach is the application of biocontrol agents, where chemicals are replaced with microbial consortia or microbial strains that have shown to control the spread of another microbial species. Trichoderma and Psuedomonas spp. have especially shown impressive results against soilborne pathogens, such as Fusarium, Rhizoctania and Scleroctania species. Furthermore, natural small molecules which trigger and boost the internal defense signaling cascade can be utilized to bolster general plant immunity against pathogens. More recently with advances in nanotechnology, nanoparticles have been used as protectants (e.g. gold and silver nanoparticles) or as targeted carriers for fungicides.
In addition to these traditional practices, scientists are also investigating plant breeding and engineering strategies which could potentially target a broad spectrum of pathogens or generate new disease-resistant crops. For example, crops with resistance to a number of pathogens can be produced using gene pyramiding, which involves introducing multiple genes of interest into a single genotype through either traditional breeding approaches or DNA technology (producing genetically-modified (GM) crops). As such, there is great interest in identifying novel genes responsible for disease resistance from various different plant species, for use in gene pyramiding approaches. Recently, gene-editing techniques, such as CRISPR/Cas9 have been successfully implemented to enhance disease resistance in several important crops, including wheat, cacao, rice, tomato and grape. Plant engineering and breeding approaches offer a long-term and environmentally sustainable solution to disease management.
The editors encourage Original Research, Reviews, Mini-Reviews and Method papers on the following topics (but not limited to):
1. Next generation agrochemicals against phytopathogens.
2. Next generation solutions for post-harvest diseases of fruits and vegetables.
3. Next generation advancement of molecular techniques (viz. gene pyramiding, CRISPR/Cas technique, identification of new gene etc.) against phytopathogens.
4. Plant disease management through novel formulations of bio-control agent.
5. Microbiome application for disease resistance.
6. Bi-modal action of microbe-based formulation promoting plant growth and acting against phytopathogens.
