Life Sciences & Biotechnology
Title : | Determination of etiology and management of Fusarium head blight (FHB) an emerging wheat disease under ‘climate change scenario' in Punjab, India. |
Area of research : | Life Sciences & Biotechnology |
Principal Investigator : | Dr. Ambika Rautela, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab |
Timeline Start Year : | 2023 |
Timeline End Year : | 2026 |
Contact info : | ambikarautela@pau.edu |
Equipments : | Jet spore sampler |
Details
Executive Summary : | Climate change poses a significant global environmental challenge, with India's climate potentially warming by 2.33 to 4.78°C if CO2 concentration doubles. Indian agriculture, which is climate sensitive and 65% of it comes under rainfed areas, is at risk due to the impact of climate change on wheat and rice production. Wheat production is particularly vulnerable to increased air temperature and reduced precipitation in regions like south Asia. The global scenario of climate change is expected to favor growth, multiplication, virulence, and range expansion of wheat pathogens. some pathogens are active at freezing temperatures, while others affect wheat at temperatures above 35 degrees C. It is crucial to continuously monitor changing pathogen populations and emerging diseases with changes in environmental conditions before developing management strategies. Fusarium head blight (FHB) is an emerging threat to the wheat belt in India due to climate change. The disease has appeared 4-5 times in epidemic form since the 1990s, with severe epidemics reported in 1995-96 and 2004-05 due to frequent rainfall during flowering stages. The scenario of wheat diseases in Punjab state is changing due to frequent fluctuations in climatic conditions, leading to the emergence of new pathogenic strains. The research proposal aims to gain insights into pathogen diversity associated with FHB and the correlation between changing environmental factors and the development of FHB in Punjab state. The investigators aim to develop sustainable management strategies to combat emerging wheat pathogens based on these studies, helping farmers overcome these pathogens in the near future. |
Co-PI: | Dr. sarabjot Kaur sandhu, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab-141004, Dr. Rajnish Kumar Verma, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab-141004, Dr. Parminder singh Tak, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab-141004 |
Total Budget (INR): | 23,43,260 |
Organizations involved