Abstract

Fusarium head blight (FHB) caused byFusariumpathogens is one of the most devastating fungal diseases of small grain cereals worldwide, substantially reducing yield quality and food safety. Its severity is increasing due to the climate change caused by weather fluctuations. Intensive research on FHB control methods has been initiated more than a decade ago. Since then, the environment has been rapidly changing at regional to global scales due to increasing anthropogenic emissions enhanced fertilizer application and substantial changes in land use. It is known that environmental factors affect both the pathogen virulence as well as plant resistance mechanisms. Changes in CO(2)concentration, temperature, and water availability can have positive, neutral, or negative effects on pathogen spread depending on the environmental optima of the pathosystem. Hence, there is a need for studies of plant-pathogen interactions in current and future environmental context. Long-term monitoring data are needed in order to understand the complex nature of plants and its microbiome interactions. We suggest an holobiotic approach, integrating plant phyllosphere microbiome research on the ecological background. This will enable the development of efficient strategies based on ecological know-how to fightFusariumpathogens and maintain sustainable agricultural systems.

Keywords

ecosystem-atmosphere relations; plant microbiome; Fusarium; bacterial exopolysaccharides; genomic networks; sustainable development

Published in

Pathogens
2020, Volume: 9, number: 6, article number: 419
Publisher: MDPI

SLU Authors

• Timmusk, Salme

  • Department of Forest Mycology and Plant Pathology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • Bashan Institute of Science (BIS)

• Ayele Dadi, Fantaye

  • Department of Forest Mycology and Plant Pathology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • Ethiopian Biotechnology Institute

Associated SLU-program

SLU Plant Protection Network


Sustainable Development Goals

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture


UKÄ Subject classification

Microbiology


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens9060419

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/107134