Climate Change Worsens Plant Diseases in the Future

Changes in the atmospheric structure caused by human activities could negatively affect the plant diseases of the future. Researchers expect that carbon dioxide level in 2050 would be twice the amount of carbon dioxide during preindustrial era. This situation calls for more efforts to improve food production to satisfy the world's increasing population. Thus, University of Illinois associate professor Darin Eastburn leads a team of researchers to study the possible effects of high carbon dioxide, ozone and atmospheric temperature on three economically important soybean diseases using the soybean-free air-concentrating enrichment (SoyFACE) facility in Urbana.

"Plants growing in a high carbon dioxide environment tend to grow faster and larger, and they have denser canopies," Eastburn said. "These dense plant canopies favor the development of some diseases because the low light levels and reduced air circulation allow higher relative humidity levels to develop, and this promotes the growth and sporulation of many plant pathogens."

Studies like Eastburn's are very important in preparing agriculture for future problems to be faced. With the help of these research results, plant pathologists, plant breeders, agronomists and horticulturalists will be able to devise disease management strategies adapted to the changing environment.

Read the University of Ilinois release at http://www.physorg.com/news196598637.html.