Abstract
In many parts of the world, agricultural ecosystems are increasingly exposed to severe drought, and rainfall events due to climate changes. This coincides with a higher vulnerability of crops to soil-borne diseases, which is mostly ascribed to decreased resistance to pathogen attacks. However, loss of the natural capacity of soil microbes to suppress soil-borne plant pathogens may also contribute to increased disease outbreaks. In this perspectives paper, we will discuss the effect of extreme weather events on pathogen-antagonist interactions during drought and rainfall events and upon recovery. We will focus on diseases caused by root-infecting fungi and oomycetes. In addition, we will explore factors that affect restoration of the balance between pathogens and other soil microbes. Finally, we will indicate potential future avenues to improve the resistance and/or recovery of natural biocontrol during, and after water stresses. As such, our perspective paper will highlight a knowledge gap that needs to be bridged to adapt agricultural ecosystems to changing climate scenarios.
Highlights
Climate change is expected to increase the exposure of agricultural ecosystems to extreme drought and rainfall events (IPCC, 2012; Fischer and Knutti, 2016), which can result in severe decreases in crop yields (Challinor et al, 2014; Obidiegwu et al, 2015; Challinor et al, 2016; Eurostats, 2016)
We propose that improvements to the maintenance and recovery of suppression of plant pathogens during and after drought and rainfall may prevent severe losses due to soil-borne pathogens
We conclude that the higher sensitivity of crops to infections by soil-borne pathogens during and after extreme weather events is in part due to loss of the pathogen suppressive capacity of soils
Summary
Climate change is expected to increase the exposure of agricultural ecosystems to extreme drought and rainfall events (IPCC, 2012; Fischer and Knutti, 2016), which can result in severe decreases in crop yields (Challinor et al, 2014; Obidiegwu et al, 2015; Challinor et al, 2016; Eurostats, 2016). We will suggest areas for future research that improve our understanding of how extreme drought and rainfall events will affect interactions between pathogen suppressive microorganisms and crop pathogens. The suppression of pathogen infection on roots is caused by interactions with other soil microorganisms (van Os et al, 1999; Duran et al, 2017) and often occurs via the production of inhibitory secondary metabolites (Garbeva et al, 2011) Chemical compounds, such as antibiotics, that are produced during antagonistic interactions between competing heterotrophic microbes may affect other biota in soils, including pathogens (Garbeva et al, 2011; Raaijmakers and Mazzola, 2012; Schulz-Bohm et al, 2017). This will likely depend upon the niche space for water availability as
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