Crop disease management strategies for rainfed cropping systems under changing climate scenarios

Abstract

Rainfed crop production systems are affected by climatic variability and climate change impacting farm productivity, profitability and thereby, livelihoods of less-endowed farming communities. Frequent occurrence of extreme weather events in selected agroecological regions of India could lead to regional food- and nutritional-security imbalances. The impact of climate change is being observed in crops and pathogens in the form of less-known diseases attaining major status, spread of the pathogens to new crops/areas, emergence of new virulent pathotypes/biotypes, change in virulence pattern in current pathotypes, changes in vector development patterns, host–pathogen–biocontrol interactions and overwintering or oversummering of pathogens/vectors. At ICAR-CRIDA, impacts of elevated CO2 and temperature on the pathogenicity of major soil-borne plant pathogens; biocontrol ability of Trichoderma, Pseudomonas; and abiotic stress tolerance ability of the biocontrol agents are being characterized. A holistic effective adaptation strategy must be focused on understanding of the influence of changing climate on host–pathogen–biocontrol tritrophic interactions, regular survey and surveillance, promote beneficial microbes with stress tolerance, develop robust forewarning systems, integrate novel disease management strategies at agro-ecosystem level, and enhance awareness among stakeholders on climate change impacts and adaptation strategies.