Current issues in plant disease control: Biotechnology and plant disease

Abstract

Despite substantial advances in plant disease management strategies, our global food supply is still threatened by a multitude of pathogens and pests. This changed scenario warrants us to respond more efficiently and effectively to this problem. The situation demands judicious blending of conventional, unconventional and frontier technologies. Biotechnological procedures can be used to determine the type and sources of host resistance. Biotechnology is the genetic manipulation and multiplication of any living organism through novel techniques and technologies such as tissue culture and genetic engineering in order to produce new organisms and or products that can be used in variety of ways. It is theoretically possible to express virtually any genetic trait of an organism in plants. The development of recombinant DNA technology makes it possible to isolate individual genes and incorporate resistance genes into otherwise agronomically acceptable cultivars. Genes pyramiding was made easier with molecular markers. ELISA and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques are used in the identification of viral and bacterial disease and also new formats using antibody based detection for very rapid presumptive on-site diagnosis have become available. These do not require specialized equipment or knowledge. Most of them use a membrane based lateral flow assay in which capillary forces generate a migration of the sample extract over specific antibodies.The aim of this write up is to review the major application of biotechnology to the control of plant diseases. Keywords ; Biotechnology, tissue culture and genetic engineering, plant disease management strategies,