scholarly journals Divergent abiotic spectral pathways unravel pathogen stress signals across species

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
P. J. Zarco-Tejada ◽  
T. Poblete ◽  
C. Camino ◽  
V. Gonzalez-Dugo ◽  
R. Calderon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Pathogens ◽  
Socioeconomic Impact ◽  
Screening Methods ◽  
Yield Losses ◽  
Global Food Security ◽  
Plant Pest ◽  
Physiological Alterations ◽  
Food Deficit ◽  
Stress Signals ◽  
Global Food

AbstractPlant pathogens pose increasing threats to global food security, causing yield losses that exceed 30% in food-deficit regions. Xylella fastidiosa (Xf) represents the major transboundary plant pest and one of the world’s most damaging pathogens in terms of socioeconomic impact. Spectral screening methods are critical to detect non-visual symptoms of early infection and prevent spread. However, the subtle pathogen-induced physiological alterations that are spectrally detectable are entangled with the dynamics of abiotic stresses. Here, using airborne spectroscopy and thermal scanning of areas covering more than one million trees of different species, infections and water stress levels, we reveal the existence of divergent pathogen- and host-specific spectral pathways that can disentangle biotic-induced symptoms. We demonstrate that uncoupling this biotic–abiotic spectral dynamics diminishes the uncertainty in the Xf detection to below 6% across different hosts. Assessing these deviating pathways against another harmful vascular pathogen that produces analogous symptoms, Verticillium dahliae, the divergent routes remained pathogen- and host-specific, revealing detection accuracies exceeding 92% across pathosystems. These urgently needed hyperspectral methods advance early detection of devastating pathogens to reduce the billions in crop losses worldwide.

scholarly journals Recent Trends in Drought, Heat and Frost-Induced Yield Losses Across the Australian Wheatbelt

Proceedings ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Behnam Ababaei ◽  
Karine Chenu
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Significant Contribution ◽  
Food Demand ◽  
Yield Losses ◽  
Global Food Security ◽  
Recent Trends ◽  
Global Food

While global food demand is projected to grow by 50–80% by 2050, Australia is expected to continue its significant contribution to global food security. [...]

scholarly journals Microbial threat– a growing challenge for plant biosecurity

2012 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon McKirdy ◽  
Brendan Rodoni ◽  
Jane Moran ◽  
Shashi Sharma
Keyword(s):  
Plant Pathogens ◽  
Market Access ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Production Costs ◽  
Microbial Pathogens ◽  
Global Food Security ◽  
Travel And Tourism ◽  
Increasing Risk ◽  
Global Food ◽  
Lower Production

Australia is relatively free from many of the plant pathogens that seriously impact on agricultural production and natural environment in other countries. This provides a valuable competitive advantage for Australia?s plant industries in terms of securing market access and maintaining lower production costs. The increasing growth in global trade, travel and tourism is exposing Australia?s plant industries and environment to ever-increasing risk of exotic microbial pathogens. At risk are approximately $14 billion per annum in crop exports, the environment and its associated tourism, the sustainability of regional communities with plant industries contributing approximately $25 billion annually, and indirectly animal and human health and safety. In addition, biosecurity threats are recognised as a serious risk to global food security.

scholarly journals Global food insecurity. Treatment of major food crops with elevated carbon dioxide or ozone under large-scale fully open-air conditions suggests recent models may have overestimated future yields

2005 ◽  
Vol 360 (1463) ◽  
pp. 2011-2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen P Long ◽  
Elizabeth A Ainsworth ◽  
Andrew D.B Leakey ◽  
Patrick B Morgan
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Extensive Study ◽  
Interactive Effects ◽  
Yield Losses ◽  
Air Concentration ◽  
Global Food Security ◽  
Large Yield ◽  
Global Food

Predictions of yield for the globe's major grain and legume arable crops suggest that, with a moderate temperature increase, production may increase in the temperate zone, but decline in the tropics. In total, global food supply may show little change. This security comes from inclusion of the direct effect of rising carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) concentration, [CO 2 ], which significantly stimulates yield by decreasing photorespiration in C 3 crops and transpiration in all crops. Evidence for a large response to [CO 2 ] is largely based on studies made within chambers at small scales, which would be considered unacceptable for standard agronomic trials of new cultivars or agrochemicals. Yet, predictions of the globe's future food security are based on such inadequate information. Free-Air Concentration Enrichment (FACE) technology now allows investigation of the effects of rising [CO 2 ] and ozone on field crops under fully open-air conditions at an agronomic scale. Experiments with rice, wheat, maize and soybean show smaller increases in yield than anticipated from studies in chambers. Experiments with increased ozone show large yield losses (20%), which are not accounted for in projections of global food security. These findings suggest that current projections of global food security are overoptimistic. The fertilization effect of CO 2 is less than that used in many models, while rising ozone will cause large yield losses in the Northern Hemisphere. Unfortunately, FACE studies have been limited in geographical extent and interactive effects of CO 2 , ozone and temperature have yet to be studied. Without more extensive study of the effects of these changes at an agronomic scale in the open air, our ever-more sophisticated models will continue to have feet of clay.

scholarly journals The Evolving Battle Between Yellow Rust and Wheat: Implications for Global Food Security

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Bouvet ◽  
Sarah Holdgate ◽  
Lucy James ◽  
Jane Thomas ◽  
Ian J. Mackay ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Puccinia Striiformis ◽  
Yellow Rust ◽  
Wheat Breeding ◽  
Yield Losses ◽  
Global Food Security ◽  
Global Spread ◽  
Yellow Rust Resistance ◽  
Global Food ◽  
Important Disease

Abstract Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a global commodity, and its production is a key component underpinning worldwide food security. Yellow rust, also known as stripe rust, is a wheat disease caused by the fungus Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst), and results in yield losses in most wheat growing areas. Recently, the rapid global spread of genetically diverse sexually derived Pst races, which have now largely replaced the previous clonally propagated slowly evolving endemic populations, has resulted in further challenges for the protection of global wheat yields. However, advances in the application of genomics approaches, in both the host and pathogen, combined with classical genetic approaches, pathogen and disease monitoring, provide resources to help increase the rate of genetic gain for yellow rust resistance via wheat breeding while reducing the carbon footprint of the crop. Here we review key elements in the evolving battle between the pathogen and host, with a focus on solutions to help protect future wheat production from this globally important disease.

scholarly journals NLR immune receptor-nanobody fusions confer plant disease resistance

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiorgos Kourelis ◽  
Clemence Marchal ◽  
Sophien Kamoun
Keyword(s):  
Plant Disease Resistance ◽  
Plant Disease ◽  
Plant Pathogens ◽  
Fluorescent Proteins ◽  
Plant Viruses ◽  
Immune Receptor ◽  
Global Food Security ◽  
Immune Receptors ◽  
Natural Components ◽  
Global Food

Plant pathogens cause recurrent epidemics that threaten crop yield and global food security. Efforts to retool the plant immune system have been limited to modifying natural components and can be nullified by the emergence of new pathogen races. Therefore, there is a need to develop made-to-order synthetic plant immune receptors with resistance tailored to the pathogen genotypes present in the field. Here we show that plant immune receptors can be used as scaffolds for VHH nanobody fusions that bind fluorescent proteins (FPs). The receptor-nanobody fusions signal in the presence of the corresponding FP and confer resistance against plant viruses expressing FPs. Given that nanobodies can be raised against virtually any molecule, immune receptor-nanobody fusions have the potential to generate resistance against all major plant pathogens and pests.

scholarly journals FOOD PRICE, LOSSES AND LOGISTICS AFFECTING DIET DIVERSIFICATION AND FOOD SECURITY

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 57-74
Author(s):  
Eduardo Botti Abbade
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Prices ◽  
Food Price ◽  
Global Perspective ◽  
Food Loss ◽  
Global Food Security ◽  
Food Deficit ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Global Food ◽  
Domestic Food

This study aimed to investigate the impact of logistics performance, domestic food price, and food loss on diet diversification and depth of food deficit, as well as the impact of diet diversification and depth of food deficit on the prevalence of undernourishment worldwide. This investigation adopts a quantitative approach based on available data obtained from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Global Food Security Index, and the World Bank Group. This study uses correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis as the analytical procedures. In a global perspective, evidence suggests that weak logistics performance tends to increase food loss, and domestic food price has a significant impact on diet diversification, as well as the domestic food price implies a significant increase in depth of food deficit in the world’s populations. Food price is the factor that most impacts the prevalence of undernourishment, severely affecting diet diversification and depth of food deficit worldwide. Reducing food prices has the potential to promote greater diet diversification for populations worldwide, contributing to promote global food security. This study highlights the necessity to develop an improved and efficient global food system, capable of reducing food prices, promote a cleaner food production and deliver improved nutrition and health for world populations. This investigation sustains that food price severely impacts the prevalence of undernourishment, affecting diet diversification and depth of food deficit worldwide.

scholarly journals Nep1-like proteins as a target for plant pathogen control

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. e1009477
Author(s):  
Katja Pirc ◽  
Vesna Hodnik ◽  
Tina Snoj ◽  
Tea Lenarčič ◽  
Simon Caserman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Pathogens ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Ion Leakage ◽  
Tobacco Leaves ◽  
Global Food Security ◽  
Plant Infection ◽  
Promising Target ◽  
Pathogen Control ◽  
Global Food ◽  
Plant Plasma Membrane

The lack of efficient methods to control the major diseases of crops most important to agriculture leads to huge economic losses and seriously threatens global food security. Many of the most important microbial plant pathogens, including bacteria, fungi, and oomycetes, secrete necrosis- and ethylene-inducing peptide 1 (Nep1)-like proteins (NLPs), which critically contribute to the virulence and spread of the disease. NLPs are cytotoxic to eudicot plants, as they disturb the plant plasma membrane by binding to specific plant membrane sphingolipid receptors. Their pivotal role in plant infection and broad taxonomic distribution makes NLPs a promising target for the development of novel phytopharmaceutical compounds. To identify compounds that bind to NLPs from the oomycetes Pythium aphanidermatum and Phytophthora parasitica, a library of 587 small molecules, most of which are commercially unavailable, was screened by surface plasmon resonance. Importantly, compounds that exhibited the highest affinity to NLPs were also found to inhibit NLP-mediated necrosis in tobacco leaves and Phytophthora infestans growth on potato leaves. Saturation transfer difference-nuclear magnetic resonance and molecular modelling of the most promising compound, anthranilic acid derivative, confirmed stable binding to the NLP protein, which resulted in decreased necrotic activity and reduced ion leakage from tobacco leaves. We, therefore, confirmed that NLPs are an appealing target for the development of novel phytopharmaceutical agents and strategies, which aim to directly interfere with the function of these major microbial virulence factors. The compounds identified in this study represent lead structures for further optimization and antimicrobial product development.

The Genome Biology of Effector Gene Evolution in Filamentous Plant Pathogens

2018 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Sánchez-Vallet ◽  
Simone Fouché ◽  
Isabelle Fudal ◽  
Fanny E. Hartmann ◽  
Jessica L. Soyer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Pathogens ◽  
Population Genomics ◽  
Gene Evolution ◽  
Point Mutations ◽  
Repetitive Elements ◽  
Genome Biology ◽  
Global Food Security ◽  
Effector Genes ◽  
Genes Encoding ◽  
Global Food

Filamentous pathogens, including fungi and oomycetes, pose major threats to global food security. Crop pathogens cause damage by secreting effectors that manipulate the host to the pathogen's advantage. Genes encoding such effectors are among the most rapidly evolving genes in pathogen genomes. Here, we review how the major characteristics of the emergence, function, and regulation of effector genes are tightly linked to the genomic compartments where these genes are located in pathogen genomes. The presence of repetitive elements in these compartments is associated with elevated rates of point mutations and sequence rearrangements with a major impact on effector diversification. The expression of many effectors converges on an epigenetic control mediated by the presence of repetitive elements. Population genomics analyses showed that rapidly evolving pathogens show high rates of turnover at effector loci and display a mosaic in effector presence-absence polymorphism among strains. We conclude that effective pathogen containment strategies require a thorough understanding of the effector genome biology and the pathogen's potential for rapid adaptation.

scholarly journals The evolving battle between yellow rust and wheat: implications for global food security

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Bouvet ◽  
Sarah Holdgate ◽  
Lucy James ◽  
Jane Thomas ◽  
Ian J. Mackay ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Puccinia Striiformis ◽  
Yellow Rust ◽  
Wheat Breeding ◽  
Yield Losses ◽  
Global Food Security ◽  
Global Spread ◽  
Yellow Rust Resistance ◽  
Global Food ◽  
Important Disease

AbstractWheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a global commodity, and its production is a key component underpinning worldwide food security. Yellow rust, also known as stripe rust, is a wheat disease caused by the fungus Puccinia striiformis Westend f. sp. tritici (Pst), and results in yield losses in most wheat growing areas. Recently, the rapid global spread of genetically diverse sexually derived Pst races, which have now largely replaced the previous clonally propagated slowly evolving endemic populations, has resulted in further challenges for the protection of global wheat yields. However, advances in the application of genomics approaches, in both the host and pathogen, combined with classical genetic approaches, pathogen and disease monitoring, provide resources to help increase the rate of genetic gain for yellow rust resistance via wheat breeding while reducing the carbon footprint of the crop. Here we review key elements in the evolving battle between the pathogen and host, with a focus on solutions to help protect future wheat production from this globally important disease.

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