Translational Plant Pathology to Improve Food Security in an Increasingly Insecure World
S. MILLER (1) (1) The Ohio State University, U.S.A.

Food security is a critical issue in many regions of the developing world. With an expected world population of 9 billion within 30 years, yields of staple crops will need to increase by 60-110% to meet demand. To insure food security, the gap between yield potential and actual yield, greatest in the developing world, must be narrowed. Pests and diseases, soil mismanagement, and lack of access to fertility inputs, improved cultivars, high quality seeds, and water are key factors negatively affecting yield. Further, climate change effects are particularly felt in farming systems that lack the resources to adapt to extreme weather events and the intensification of disease and pest damage enabled by these conditions. Efforts should be focused on increased local production of safe, nutritious foods without expansion of agricultural lands, as well as intensification of small farm output for export. To reduce yield gaps caused by plant disease, local adaptive research is key to the translation of basic knowledge of pathogen biology, epidemiology, and interactions with plants to farming systems. For example, tomato yields in Tanzania are approximately 35% of the world average. Participatory research on soil fertility management, deployment of improved varieties, reduction of soilborne pathogen populations and manipulation of the tomato microbiome have potential to reduce the yield gap and contribute to enhanced farm income and stability.


Abstract Number: P1-3
Session Type: Plenary