fungi_ad_n 
Corn leaf blight of maize Plant diseases and pests are the largest contributors to crop losses worldwide, with an estimated 27–42% in production systems and potential losses of 48–83% in the absence of crop protection (Oerke and Dehne, 2004). Biocontrol is the use of biological organisms to control plant diseases. The use of biocontrol could … Read more
Discovering Pythium and how it influences agricultural crops Pythium is an oomycete, and even though oomycetes were previously considered a fungi, it has been recently shown that oomycetes are actually closer related to golden algae, brown algae, yellow-green algae and diatoms (read more). However, it is still common to find Pythium species considered as fungi … Read more
A few centuries ago the world was largely dominated by farmers. Back then, 90% of the world’s population practiced what was mainly subsistent farming, providing food and selling crop for their needs as well as for their family. Today, however, that story has changed – only 2% of the world’s population produce and fulfill the … Read more
47% of the global banana production is in danger. The Cavendish banana, which makes up 99% of the global banana export, is being threatened by the Panama disease. This devastating disease, also known as Fusarium wilt, is caused by the fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense Tropical race 4 (Foc TR4). FungiAlert can quickly … Read more
Where do microorganisms come from? Microorganisms are organisms too small to be viewed solely by the eye, they are everywhere, from the poles to the equators, including deserts, geysers, rocks, volcanos and even in the deep sea. They even live in bigger living organisms, forming part of the microbiota found in and on every multicellular … Read more
Fusarium oxysporum f.sp cepae: the threat against onions Onions. You chop them into your Friday night salsa, or sauté them in your Tuesday night stir fry. But have you ever thought about the challenges the humble onion faces? The onion has been farmed across the UK for centuries, and on a global scale, the onion is … Read more
Over the past years, soil-health has become a trending topic due to the realisation of an upcoming soil health fertility crisis. During the last 50 years, intensive crop production has exhausted our planet’s soils, endangering their ability to meet future food demands. If no actions are taken now to stop this crisis, then it … Read more
What is plant disease and what are the causes? Plant diseases (caused by pathogenic microorganisms such as fungi, oomycetes and bacteria) are widespread within agricultural systems and are often economically devastating for growers. The biological threat from pathogens accounts for about a 16% loss in global food production, and the problem is forecast to worsen … Read more
