Major Foliar Fungal Diseases of Annual and Perennial Crops: Challenging National Food and Nutritional Security

Abstract

India’s food grain production, which was 82 million tones in 1960-61, reached to about 271.37 million tones in 2018-19. The population, which was 439 million in 1960, rose to 1369 million in 2019. In India, more than 250 million people do not have adequate food despite comfortable food and foreign exchange reserves and high growth in GDP. The problems of declining land, water and labour force engaged in agriculture have impacts on projected food demands for growing population. Cereals, pulses, tubers, vegetables and fruits are important that provide food and nutritional requirements. All these crop plants are susceptible to diseases both in field and post-harvest. Globally, these diseases are responsible for loss of 10% of global food production. Every year, 30% of crops are lost in India due to pests and diseases. The crop loss due to pest and diseases is estimated to be Rs. 90, 000 crores annually. Among these, fungal foliar diseases are economically important.