Focus Issue Articles on Emerging and Re-Emerging Plant Diseases

Abstract

The history of plant pathology is closely tied to plant diseases that have changed the course of human history. The Irish potato famine, caused by late blight of potato, resulted in the starvation and death of millions of people and one of the most influential human migrations in history. Other plant diseases have impacted quality of life in myriad ways. The advent of fungicides, clean seeds, host resistance, and the development of a plethora of other techniques, has diminished the impact of plant diseases. However, impressive advances in modes of rapid transport have not only increased global trade and human migration, but also augmented the risk for anthropogenic invasions of plant pathogens. As a consequence, and possibly aggravated by climate change, many historical and contemporary diseases are emerging as threats to modern agriculture and food security. These emerging diseases are not only important in global crop production, but also pose severe risks on a local level, especially on small farms in developing countries. This Focus Issue of Phytopathology contains a collection of peer-reviewed research articles, invited reviews and perspective articles on an assortment of emerging and re-emerging diseases caused by bacterial (3 papers), fungal (6 papers), oomycete (5 papers), and viral plant pathogens (3 papers). These diseases cover a range of crops including annual field crops and perennial tree crops, and vegetables, across five continents.