What Can We Learn From COVID-19 Pandemic To Prevent Plant Disease Epidemics

Blogs / What Can We Learn From COVID-19 Pandemic To Prevent Plant Disease Epidemics

The notorious COVID-19 disease has claimed millions of lives in the past few months.

Besides posing as one of the greatest threats to human health, the pandemic has caused a widespread socioeconomic crisis.

This has led to urgent and decisive action from governments, health authorities, scientists, and medical experts from all countries to prevent the disease from spreading and protect precious human lives.

While much is being done to prevent and mitigate the effects of COVID-19, an emerging threat is also emerging in the form of plant epidemics.

Since food is life, there is an urgent need to prevent the destruction of healthy and nutritious food staples, fodder grasses for animals, and beneficial medicinal plants due to plant diseases.

Unless swift action is taken to prevent plant diseases, the world may witness deaths caused by food scarcity on a scale comparable to those caused by COVID-19.

At the outset, it may be challenging to view both the COVID-19 pandemic and plant endemics on the same wavelength.

However, this blog aims to bring into focus some important lessons that can be learned from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Furthermore, we will examine how adopting sustainable biological and eco-friendly solutions can contribute to preventing plant diseases and mitigating the impending food crisis in various parts of the world.

Throughout history, plant disease epidemics caused by plant pathogens have led to food crises, resulting in starvation, displacement, and death.

The rust diseases of cereals in ancient Rome, dating back to around 700 B.C., are one of the oldest known examples.

The Irish Potato Famine of the 1840s was caused by Phytophthora infestans, resulting in approximately 1.5 million deaths due to famine or disease.

In India, the Bengal Famine of 1943 was partly caused by brown spot disease in rice, which is caused by Bipolaris oryzae.

Similar to how the COVID-19 pandemic has spread throughout the world, harmful microorganisms, including viruses, bacteria, and fungi that induce plant diseases, as well as insects and nematodes, can colonize, develop, and devastate crops across the entire region.

According to an estimate, between 10% and 40% of food production is destroyed due to pathogens and pests.

Different plant species face varying levels of threat depending on characteristics such as nutritional levels, genetic profile, stress factors, age, and genetic resistance to diseases.

This is the reason why plant disease prevention has garnered significant attention.

The plant pathogens or viruses are spread in two ways.

Firstly, from the clonal propagation of plant material, it grows by using clones of the original plant, rather than true seeds.

The pathogens are usually present in this material, leading to plant diseases.

The second way is by spread mediated by an insect vector.

Epidemiologists believe that certain weather conditions also facilitate the action of pathogens in susceptible host plants.

As far as pests are concerned, they can threaten an entire country or even an entire continent.

One example is the fall armyworm, which was first found in West Africa in 2016. One year later, it spread and reached South Africa.

Therefore, just as the spread of COVID-19 can be controlled by preventing it through staying home, it is necessary to stop plant pathogens by implementing measures to prevent infections in host plants.

This makes optimal agronomic practices and monitoring of the plant ecosystem of critical importance.

What Can Be Done for Plant Disease Prevention?

Firstly, it is essential to acknowledge the threat of catastrophic proportions that plant disease epidemics can pose.

Secondly, active and regular surveillance of the plant infestation must be carried out along with tracking the spread, removal of affected plants, and treatment of the nearby plant varieties.

Plant disease prevention is the most effective mechanism for controlling plant disease epidemics.

Plants cannot fight against the disease, as it reduces the quantity of chemicals required to stop its spread when used as curative measures.

Therefore, the most efficient solution can be using products and solutions that can empower plants to fight against pathogens naturally, or in other words, develop a strong immunity to combat disease.

The use of biological seed treatment and biostimulants in agriculture can be helpful in plant disease prevention efforts.

The adverse use of chemicals has weakened natural immunity, rendering it less effective against pathogens.

Organica Biotech’s wide range of products, including MagicGro Super, the natural herbal repellent SUCKOON, and MagicGro Nemacare, are effective and sustainable farming solutions for preventing plant diseases and epidemics, while further boosting productivity.

MagicGro Super, with a consortium of beneficial microbes, enhances natural immunity in plants and reduces the dependence on chemical inputs.

This also reduces the rate of infection by pathogens.

SUCKOON boosts plant strength by strengthening plant cell walls, making it difficult for pests to penetrate and preventing infestations.

MagicGro Nemacare is an advanced biological solution that effectively controls nematode populations in soil and boosts immunity.

With such a wide variety of preventive measures, a reduction in disease prevalence is certain.

The move towards sustainable measures in plant disease prevention can only mean good things for the planet.