🦠 Hot crops, sick crops

Brazil’s crops face growing disease threats as temperature rises

Plant diseases affecting Brazil’s most important crops are set to worsen as global temperatures rise, according to a new study published in the academic journal Plants.

Researchers from Embrapa, Brazil’s state-run agricultural research agency, reviewed climate and plant disease studies covering 32 key crops and more than 300 combinations of plants and pathogens — from fungi and bacteria to viruses. They concluded that 46% of these diseases are likely to become more severe under the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s most pessimistic projections for 2100.

The study suggests that some pathogens will flourish under future climate conditions, while others may remain stable or even decline. Among the most likely to thrive are viruses and mollicutes (bacteria without cell walls) transmitted by insects and mites to vegetables, fruits and grains.

Hotter conditions may accelerate insect development, boosting their populations and extending their active seasons — posing heightened risks for crops like potatoes, bananas, tomatoes and corn. Meanwhile, plants such as Brassica rapa (which can be cultivated into turnips, napa cabbage, bok choy and others) are likely to lose some natural fungal resistance as they flower earlier under water stress.

🚜 Brazil Agro