This book provides an overview of our current knowledge of some plant-pathogen interactions in economically important crops, emphasizing the importance of pathogenic fungi on fruits, cereals, postharvest crops and the establishment of plant diseases and drawing together fundamental new information on their management strategies based on conventional and eco-friendly methods, with an emphasis on the use of microorganisms and various biotechnological aspects of agriculture, which could lead to sustainability in modern agriculture. The book examines the role of microbes in growth promotion, as bioprotectors and bioremediators, and presents practical strategies for using microbes in sustainable agriculture. In addition, the use of botanicals vis-a-vis chemical pesticides is also reviewed. Contributions on new research fields such as mycorrhizas and endophytes are included. The book also examines in different chapters host-pathogen interactions in the light of the new tools and techniques of molecular biology and genetics.

Pulses have played a major role in human diet and are considered a rich source of proteins. But, the major constraints in achieving the yield of pulses are the occurrences of various diseases and pests. Hence, there is a need to understand major fungal pathogens and their management strategies for sustainable agriculture. The major pulse crops in India and other Asian countries are bengal gram, pigeon pea, black gram, green gram, lentil and peas, which are attacked by several pathogens that cause considerable crop damage. Bengal gram is affected mainly by wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceri), blight (Mycosphaerella pinodes) and rust (Uromyces ciceris-arietini). The main diseases of pigeon pea are wilt (Fusarium oxysporum) and Phytophtora stem blight (Phytophthora drechsleri f. sp. cajani). Powdery mildew (Erysiphe polygoni) and rust (Uromyces vicia-fabae) are the most important diseases affecting the production of pea. This volume offers details like symptoms, distribution, pathogens associated, predisposing factors and epidemiology, sources of resistance and holistic management of diseases with particular reference to those of economic importance. Several minor diseases of lentil, green gram and of black gram are discussed with their detailed and updated information. This volume provides pooled information regarding the management of major fungal phytopathogens affecting pulses.

This substantially updated edition now in full colour provides key techniques used when working with fungal and fungal-like plant pathogens. As a practical manual it also deals with disease recognition, detection and identification of fungi, plus methods to characterise and curate fungi and handle them under quarantine and quality assurance systems. Fungal Plant Pathogens: Applied Techniques, 2nd edition provides a valuable guide to investigating fungal plant diseases and interpreting laboratory findings for postgraduate and advanced undergraduate students, extension plant pathologists, consultants and advisers in agriculture, forestry and horticulture, and the food supply chain.

This book attempts to provide to provide concise, critical, synthetic and up-to-date coverage of different aspects of plant disease management. The first eleven chapters are devoted to principles and related aspects and the remining seven to management practices based on them. The book attempts to capture some of the images of such rapidly expanding fields as host-parasite recognition and biotechnology even at the risk of making the subject a bit conceptual. This book is intended to serve as a text for advanced undergraduate and graduate students of plant pathology and related disciplines and as a reference source for teachers, researchers, students, and technologists.

The fungal genus Botrytis is the focus of intensive scientific research worldwide. The complex interactions between this pathogen and the plants it infects and the economic importance of the diseases caused by Botrytis (principally grey mould) on more than 1400 species of cultivated plants pre- and post-harvest, render this pathogen of particular interest to farmers, advisers, students and researchers in many fields worldwide. This 20-chapter book is a comprehensive treatise covering the rapidly developing science of Botrytis and reflecting the major developments in studies of this fungus. It will serve as a source of general information for specialists in agriculture and horticulture, and also for students and scientists interested in the biology of this fascinating, multifaceted phytopathogenic fungal species.

The book deals with the application of fungi and the strategic management of some plant pathogens. It covers fungal bioactive metabolites, with emphasis on those secondary metabolites that are produced by various endophytes, their pharmaceutical and agricultural uses, regulation of the metabolites, mycotoxins, nutritional value of mushrooms, prospecting of thermophilic and wood-rotting fungi, and fungi as myconano factories. Strategies for the management of some plant pathogenic fungi of rice and soybean have also been dealt with. Updated information for all these aspects has been presented and discussed in different chapters.

Plant disease management remains an important component of plant pathology and is more complex today than ever before including new innovation in diagnostic kits, the discovery of new modes of action of chemicals with low environmental impact, biological control agents with reliable and persistent activity, as well as the development of new plant varieties with durable disease resistance. This book is a collection of invited lectures given at the 9th International Congress of Plant Pathology (ICPP 2008), held in Torino, August 24-29, 2008 and is part of a series of volumes on Plant Pathology in the 21st Century. It focuses on new developments of disease management and provides an updated overview of the state of the art given by world experts in the different fields of disease management. The different chapters deal with basic aspects of disease management, mechanisms of action of biological control agents, innovation in fungicide application, exploitation of natural compounds and resistance strategies. Moreover, the management of soil-borne diseases and disease management in organic farming are covered.

Morphological, biological, biochemical and physiological characteristics have been used for the detection, identification and differentiation of fungal pathogens up to species level. Tests based on biological characteristics are less consistent. Immunoassays have been shown to be effective in detecting fungal pathogens present in plants and environmental samples. Development of monoclonal antibody technology has greatly enhanced the sensitivity and specificity of detection, identification and differentiation of fungal species and varieties/strains. Nucleic acid-based techniques involving hybridization with or amplification of unique DNA have provided results rapidly and reliably. Presentation of a large number of protocols is a unique feature of this volume.

Principles of Plant Disease Management is intended to provide a substantive treatment of plant disease management for graduate and undergraduate students in which theoretical and practical elements are combined. Reference is made to specific diseases and control practices to illustrate basic principles or strategies. The section on epidemiology includes a chapter in which arthropod vectors (aphids, leafhoppers, whiteflies, Coleoptera and mites) are briefly discussed, and the section on control includes references to the use of crop varieties with resistance to such vectors, and also contains information on mechanical, cultural, biological and chemical measures that contribute to vector control. - The technology of disease management is presented according to epidemiological principles - Sections on diagnosis, epidemiology, environmental factors, disease forecasting, disease control (exclusion, physical, chemical and biological), plant resistance, cultural modifications to suppress epidemics, effects of chemicals and their major groups and uses, and examples of disease management in practice are included - A bibliography and index are appended