Diseases and Management of Crops under Protected Cultivation

(Diseases and Management of Crops under Protected Cultivation)
The Center of Excellence on Climate Change Research for Plant Protection (CoE-CCRPP)
initiated at ICRISAT center at Patancheru Andhra Pradesh, to focus on impact of climate change
on disease and insect-pest problems of rainfed dry land crops. In the first phase (2011-2014) basic
studies to understand the effect of climate change variables on the diseases and insect-pests of
chickpea and pigeonpea will be investigated. The project is supported by the Department of
Science and Technology Climate Change Program. The primary aim of this project is to
understand the effects of climate change on the relative abundance and diversity of insect-pests
and pathogens across geographical regions, pathogen/pest × host plant × environment
interactions, and its influence on insect-pest and diseases incidence and extent of losses due to
diseases and pests. The major outcomes of this project will be the development of methodologies
that will be required to quantify the information on emerging pest problems, their geographical
distribution, and severity and damage, effect of climatic changes on expression of resistance to
insect-pests and pathogens, select varieties that are resistant to diseases and insect-pests across
environments, and reduce pesticide application for a safer environment. The information on pest ×
host × environment interactions will be useful to scientists in India, who can use the standardized
techniques for phenotyping for pest resistance to identify and develop pest resistant cultivars for
genetic management of emerging and or anticipated diseases and insect-pest problems in India.
The information will be useful to research planners, policy makers, scientists, and farmers for
sustainable crop protection in India. The outcomes of this project will have a major bearing on pest
mitigation strategies in an environment friendly manner for sustainable production of grain
legumes and increasing food security in dry land areas –the region most vulnerable to climate
change.
Climate Change and Legumes Diseases R&D &ICRISAT
In the last one decade the disease scenario of chickpea and pigeonpea has changed
drastically consequently, dry root rot (Rhizoctoniabataticola) of chickpea and Phytophthora blight
(Phytophthoradrechslerif.sp.cajani) of pigeonpea have emerged has potential threat to the
production of these pulses in India (Pande and Sharma 2010). ICRISAT has initiated research on
the impact of climate change on these diseases. In general models addressing legumes diseases
in the tropics have not so far emphasized the effects of climate and global change. However,
weather-based models to predict the development of Ascochyta blight and Botrytis gray mold in
chickpea have been developed to provide sounder bases for fungicide use (Pande et al. 2005).
Increased heat and drought stress and monsoon shifts in South Asia tend to push legume
production toward more marginal lands, where management options are fewer.Climate change
alters the spectrum of diseases in terms of pathogen distribution and virulence, and appears
associated with emergence of new pathotypes. For example, with increased temperature and
more frequent moisture stress, Rhizoctonoa blight is becoming more intense in tropical –humid
areas, while viruses and rusts dominate in worm but dry zones.Data collected in India from 2000 to
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