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Tackling Control of a Cosmopolitan Phytopathogen: Sclerotinia

Summary

This research reviews the impact and control of Sclerotinia, a devastating fungal disease that affects many important food crops worldwide. The fungus causes significant economic losses by damaging crops like canola, soybeans, lettuce, and other vegetables. The study examines various ways to control this disease, from traditional farming practices to modern biological controls and genetic modification approaches. Impacts on everyday life: • Food Security – Sclerotinia affects crop yields and quality, potentially increasing food costs and reducing availability • Farming Practices – Farmers must carefully plan crop rotations and timing of treatments to manage the disease • Environmental Considerations – The push for more sustainable farming practices is driving development of biological controls to reduce chemical fungicide use • Consumer Choice – Disease management costs and crop losses can affect food prices and availability in grocery stores • Agricultural Innovation – Research into new control methods is advancing our understanding of plant diseases and driving technological innovation in farming

Background

Sclerotinia rot, also known as white mould, is a widespread fungal disease caused by phytopathogenic members of the Sclerotinia genus. S. sclerotiorum is considered one of the most destructive and cosmopolitan plant pathogens, widely distributed throughout temperate regions and some arid areas. The lack of adequate host genetic resistance, wide host range, and general difficulty in managing the disease culturally and chemically are the main drivers for extensive crop damage in both broad acre and horticultural farming sectors.

Objective

This review examines the epidemiology of Sclerotinia pathogens, their economic impact on agricultural production, and measures employed toward disease control. The authors review broad approaches required to tackle Sclerotinia diseases including cultural practices, crop genetic resistance, chemical fungicides, and biological controls, highlighting benefits and drawbacks of each approach along with recent advances and future strategies.

Results

The review found that Sclerotinia species cause widespread economic losses across many crops globally, with annual losses exceeding US$200 million in the United States alone. Current control methods each have limitations – cultural practices provide partial control, genetic resistance is complex and limited, chemical fungicides require precise timing and may face resistance development, and biological controls show promise but can be inconsistent in field conditions. New approaches including genetic modification, RNA interference, and microbiome manipulation show potential for improved control.

Conclusion

Effective control of Sclerotinia diseases requires an integrated approach combining multiple management strategies. New control measures need development, including fungicides with extended activity windows, optimized biocontrol formulations, and potentially genetic modification for complete resistance. Understanding how different control approaches function together will be critical for durable disease management.
  • Published in:Frontiers in Plant Science,
  • Study Type:Review,
  • Source: 10.3389/fpls.2021.707509
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