Challenges Faced by Farmers in Crops Production Due to Fungal Pathogens and Their Effect on Indian Economy

Abstract

Indian agriculture is considered a global powerhouse. It is the second largest producer of rice, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables, cotton, and tea. In India, the agri sector employs around 60% of the population and contributes about 17% to the total GDP. One of the major constraints Indian agriculture facing is its low yield, which is 30-5% lower than those of developing countries. The challenges stagnating agricultural productivity in India include outbreaks of pests and diseases, poor soil fertility, unavailability of sufficient water, and climate change. Among all the factors, plant pathogens especially fungal pathogens are of key concern, and they are a major yield-limiting factor in agriculture. According to Punjab Agricultural University in 2007, 26% of yields got lost due to plant diseases. Pest and diseases cause over INR 290 billion per annum losses of crops in India. Out of 30,000 plant diseases recorded from different countries, around 5000 occur in India. The fungal infections related decline in crop yield in India is believed to be 5 million tons per year, approximately. In 2012, fungal diseases ruined at least 125 million tons of the crops like wheat, rice, soybeans, maize, and potatoes. The global damage to rice, wheat, and maize by the fungi accounts for $60 billion each year. This shows serious economic implications, resulting in production losses, market declines, and increased unemployment in the food and agriculture sector. Thus, there is an urgent need to emphasize the problem of plant diseases so that preventive measures can be taken up. Plant pathology has a special role to meet new challenges for sustainability and advancements of Indian agriculture.