Biotic Stress to Legumes: Fungal Diseases as Major Biotic Stress Factor

Abstract

Legumes represent one of the most valuable crops all over the world because of their high content of protein, carbohydrates, fibers and minerals. Legumes significantly affect animal and human health along with soil fertility enhancement. Despite large areas under legume cultivation, the per year legume produces are insufficient due to crop losses induced by several biotic and abiotic stress factors. Abiotic stress factors include numerous environmental parameters like temperature, soil compaction, soil contamination, chilling, frost, drought, humidity, and soil water content. Biotic stress factors involve parasites like nematodes, weeds, insects, viruses, bacteria, and fungi. Fungal plant pathogens are considered one of the major reasons of legume crop losses because of their high spreading instances and aggressive infection via seeds or entire plant body. Fungal diseases can even lead to 100% legume yield losses. Various natural, chemical and biological control methods of regulating fungal diseases have been reported. The most common fungal diseases include rust, powdery mildew, wilt, ascochyta blight, chocolate spot and root rot disease. Present article focuses on various biotic stress inducers of legumes with attention to fungal diseases and its management strategies.