Wheat blast: Potential plant pandemic threatens global food security
Source: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/a...
The next pandemic might be targeting global food security.
In a new study, scientists have warned that a disease known as ‘Wheat blast’, which originated in South American wheat crop, has the potential of developing into a plant pandemic by spreading worldwide. A fungus called Magnaporthe oryzae is responsible for the ‘wheat blast’ disease. Researchers first detected the pathogen in Brazilian wheat crops in the 1980s. The fungus has since spread throughout South America. Since then, its outbreak has spread to two other continents. It has been reported in parts of Asia and Africa. In some areas, the situation became so severe that the fungus destroyed the entire crop.
Magnaporthe oryzae infects wild and cultivated grasses, most notably rice and wheat. The latest research published in the journal Plos Biology noted that the pathogen is resistant to fungicides and has the potential to affect not only wheat but also other major food crops. Over the years, the fungus has migrated to different parts of the world and has undergone several mutations. In 2016, Bangladesh reported the first outbreak of a ‘wheat blast’ in Asia. This led to a loss of 51% in crop yield that year. Two years later, an outbreak of this fungus was detected in wheat crops in Zambia, which was the first time the pathogen was detected in Africa. However, it is not clear whether it reached Zambia from Bangladesh or South America.
During the study, scientists analysed more than 500 samples of the fungus to understand the origin of the pathogen. Genomic analysis of fungus samples from all three continents showed that these fungi are part of the same family. The result suggests that the strain of wheat blasts from South America independently reached Africa and Asia which could mean that humans are likely transporting these pathogens. Before the outbreak in Bangladesh, the country had received a large number of wheat seeds from Brazil. This suggests that importing infected seeds is a possible outbreak source. However, there is no concrete proof to pinpoint the origin of the fungus in Brazil as of yet. Research has shown that the fungus responsible for the outbreak is susceptible to certain fungicides, but laboratory experiments have shown that resistance can arise through spontaneous mutations.Lessons from South America suggest that eradication is difficult. That is why we need to manage it effectively through monitoring. Genomic surveillance allows for early and accurate detection of these, which can lead to the discovery of the origin of the disease and then help create a prevention strategy. Wheat is one of the most consumed grains in the world and crores of people can reach the brink of starvation, that too in the poorest parts of the world, in case of a ‘Wheat blast’ pandemic. That’s why more efforts are needed at the early stage to contain the spread and minimise its impact and if possible eradicate it, before it is too late.
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