Introduction to Plant Pathology

Impact of Plant Diseases

• Plant diseases limit the amount of land available for cultivation each year and the types of crops that can be grown in contaminated fields.
• Millions of kilograms of pesticides are used annually to treat seeds, fumigate soils, spray plants, and treat fruits post-harvest.

Consequences of Control Measures

• Control measures add to the cost of food production.
• Some control measures, like crop rotation, limit food production.
• Others introduce toxic chemicals into the environment.

Purpose of Plant Pathology

• Plant pathology aims to balance food production with minimal adverse side effects on people and the environment.

Definition and Importance of Plant Pathology

• Plant pathology is the science of studying plant diseases to improve plant survival in unfavorable environments and against parasitic microorganisms.
• It is a challenging, interesting, and important field that studies plant diseases to ensure food security for humans and animals.

Impact of Plant Diseases on Food Security

• Plant diseases prevent cultivation and growth of food plants in some areas.
• They can destroy parts or all of the plants, reducing their produce.
• Insects, weeds, and diseases combined annually destroy between 31% and 42% of crops worldwide.
• Developing countries suffer more crop losses than developed countries.

Human Consequences of Plant Diseases

• Plant diseases lead to malnutrition, hunger, and starvation in large populations, especially in poor countries.
• Crop destruction forces people to leave their farms and villages, leading to overcrowding in cities.