Challenges and Threats Posed by Plant Pathogenic Fungi on Agricultural Productivity and Economy

Fungi represent the largest group of plant pathogens that causes up to 14% crop yield losses annually, rendering it to be one of the prime challenges in achieving global food security and agricultural sustainability. Fungal diseases significantly affect crop yield and productivity, thereby dwindling the global economy at large. The Irish famine, Coffee rust in Ceylon, Great Bengal famine, and Southern corn leaf blight in the USA are examples of fungal disease outbreaks that have been major economic downfall causing millions to die of starvation. To indemnify the devastations of plant pathogens, agricultural biotechnology has emerged as a potential tool to boost crop productivity and thereby the world economy. It has gained colossal acceptance with an expansive growth in recuperating agriculture efficiency with emphasis on technological innovations, development of disease-resistant varieties, employment of effective disease management strategies, and implementation of plant protection schemes. One of the primary challenges faced by agriculturists is to feed the booming population without jeopardizing the arenas of food security, sustainable use of natural resources, and ecosystem resilience. Intensification of agriculture perpetuates the existence of monocultures in fields that pose a serious threat to increased disease epidemics. Facilitation of a dynamic agro-ecosystem that includes integrated crop management systems is significant in improving pathogen resistance. Precise identification of a pathogen, appraisal of its impact in field and productivity, host interaction, epidemiological studies, and understanding the conducive conditions for its proliferation and dissemination are the other important challenges faced by agriculturists. Although better crop productivity has been achieved with the use of pesticides and fungicides, their recurrent use has exerted ecological and environmental pressures on agricultural ecosystems and human health. Similarly, understanding the role of climate change on the impact of fungal pathogens and the development of suitable management programs are the need of the hour that yet need to be largely employed worldwide. While the economic impact is not only restricted to the crop or yield loss, the abated quality of crop products also has a significant impact on the revenue. This demands for the creation of a global network of stakeholders that can enforce crop protection schemes and fortify the crop demand. This chapter aims to understand the intricate challenges and threats posed by fungal pathogens on agricultural productivity and the reliable solutions to strengthen and improve global agricultural production and sustainability.