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ARS Home » Plains Area » College Station, Texas » Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center » Insect Control and Cotton Disease Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #344539
Research Project: Detection and Biologically Based Management of Row Crop Pests Concurrent with Boll Weevil Eradication

Location: Insect Control and Cotton Disease Research

Title: Emerging plant diseases under a changing climate scenario: Threats to our global food supply

Author
item AVILA-QUEZADA, GRACIELA - Universidad Autonoma De Chihuahua
item Esquivel, Jesus
item SILVA-ROJAS, HILDA - Colegio De Postgraduados
item LEYVA-MIR, SANTOS - University Of Chapingo
item GARCIA-AVILA, CLEMENTE - Senasica
item QUEZADA-SALINAS, ANDRES - Senasica
item NORIEGA-OROZCO, LORENA - Centro De Investigacion En Alimentaction Y Desarollo
item RIVAS-VALENCIA, PATRICIA - Centro De Investigacion En Alimentaction Y Desarollo
item OJEDA-BARRIOS, DAMARIS - Universidad Autonoma De Chihuahua
item MELGOZA-CASTILLO, ALICIA - Universidad Autonoma De Chihuahua

Submitted to: Emirates Journal of Food and Agriculture
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/6/2018
Publication Date: 8/23/2018
Citation: Avila-Quezada, G., Esquivel, J.F., Silva-Rojas, H.V., Leyva-Mir, S.G., Garcia-Avila, C.I., Quezada-Salinas, A., Noriega-Orozco, L., Rivas-Valencia, P., Ojeda-Barrios, D., Melgoza-Castillo, A. 2018. Emerging plant diseases under a changing climate scenario: Threats to our global food supply. Emirates Journal of Food and Agriculture. 30(6):443-350.

Interpretive Summary: Food security and safety of high-value cash crops are critical to the survival of mankind. Historically, major disease epidemics of cash crops have been caused by disease-causing organisms that are at times transmitted by insect pests. This report highlights some of the most recent destructive diseases attributed to plant pathogens and discusses potential factors affecting their emergence and spread. Efforts towards more acute research priorities to address current quarantined pathogens and development of official regulatory protocols will aid in prevention of disease. Emerging diseases as a threat to crops are discussed, future research areas are identified, and a proposal to establish a broader network of research collaborators is presented.

Technical Abstract: The objective of this review is to highlight: 1. Impact of historical emerging diseases, 2. Emerging diseases and pathogen dispersion, 3. Disease spread, and 4. Possible causes contributing to the emergence of pathogens. Some diseases are caused by potentially dangerous pathogens that have led to changes in humanity. Despite our efforts in the fight against these dangerous pathogens; the influences of natural phenomena such as hurricanes or strong winds that disperse pathogens remain. However, some actions such as investment in research priorities that are focused on quarantined pathogens and official regulations can help in disease prevention. We discuss emerging diseases as a threat to crops, identify future research areas, and encourage the establishment of research networks focused on quarantine pathogens to address the problem and minimize risks.