Climatic Anomalies and Plant Diseases

Abstract

The climate of our planet has been changing rapidly. Over the past 100 years, an average global air temperature has increased by 0.740, in particular, in Russia, it was 0.4°C from 1990 to 2000. By the middle of this century, warming of almost 2°C is expected (http://www.protown.ru/information/articles/articles_2519.html). The fastest (0.052°C/year) temperature rises are in the northern and European territories of Russia. January was the warmest month in 2020. For example, in Moscow and St. Petersburg, an average monthly temperature in January was 9.4 degrees above normal. May became the warmest on record – an average air temperature exceeded the average in May by 0.63 degrees. Russia remains the part of the world where climate warming during the 21st century will significantly exceed the average global warming. In addition to the temperature factor, changes in CO2 concentration will influence plant diseases. Most climate scientists associate an increase in surface temperature with an increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide CO2 in the atmosphere. Since 1750, the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere has been drastically increasing (1). In 1750, the concentration of carbon dioxide was 280 p.p.m., while in 2000, it reached 368 ppm, and by the end of the century, it will be 800 ppm. The average   growth rate of CO2 concentration in Russia over the past 10 years was 5.7%. There is an opinion that if the CO2 content doubles, then the average annual temperature of the Earth could increase by 6°C (https://terve.su/globalnoe-poteplenie-mnenie-finnov/). The problem of climate change may have a catastrophic impact on agriculture. About 70% of the losses connected with unfavorable climatic conditions occur in agriculture. According to experts, as a result of climate change, Russia annually lacks more than 40 million tons of crop production in grain equivalent. Experts report about climate change and the consequent extinction of 30-40% of plant and animal species, degradation of key ecosystems, agricultural productivity, and, thus, aggravation of the problem of food security. The chapter examines the possible consequences of climatic anomalies for plant diseases. It presents examples of the spread of some southern diseases to the north of Russia. There is an opinion that global warming may lead to the expansion of the range of thermophilic species of phytopathogenic fungi. The author discusses the problems of the relationship between parasites and plants, the structural peculiarities of protective measures in the context of global climate shift.