Plant Health for Food Security: ICRISAT’s Integrated Approach to Grain Legume Disease Management
Healthy plants are the foundation of agricultural productivity, food security, and resilient farming systems. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, plant pests and diseases are responsible for the loss of up to 40% of global food crops each year, resulting in agricultural trade losses exceeding USD 220 billion annually.
Rising temperatures and changing climate patterns are further accelerating the spread of pests and diseases into regions where they were previously unknown.
As the world prepares to increase agricultural production by nearly 60 percent by 2050 to feed a growing population, safeguarding plant health has become more important than ever.
On the occasion of the International Day of Plant Health, ICRISAT leverages science and innovation to build resilient agricultural systems across the drylands of Asia and Africa.
ICRISAT takes an integrated approach to plant health by combining host plant resistance, biological control, predictive analytics, climate science, and farmer outreach.
Breeding for Better Plant Health
One of the most effective and sustainable ways to manage crop diseases is through developing resistant crop varieties. ICRISAT scientists continuously work to strengthen crops against major pests and diseases affecting dryland agriculture.
Over the years, the institute has developed and promoted several resilient crop varieties, including fusarium wilt, ascochyta blight, sterility mosaic diseases in chickpea and pigeonpea..
These genetic improvements reduce dependence on chemical interventions while helping farmers protect yields under increasingly challenging climatic conditions.
ICRISAT genebank has played an important role in conserving the genetic base for strengthening the disease resistance breeding pipeline.
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