Wheat pests spread faster than we thought

The spread of human and plant diseases by wind is likely to spread faster than we think has left concerns for not only human disease but also a fungus that threatens the yield of wheat. nationwide.

A study conducted by scientists at Oregon State University and other research institutes concluded that invasive diseases do not always progress in sequence and invariably. Previous studies on diseases in animals and plants have shown that some of the pathogens that are released through the air can grow stronger as they move, and can become widespread spreads. around faster than people think.

'Clearly, some diseases can spread faster and wider,' said Chris Mundt, a professor of plant research at OSU.

Studies explain part of how viruses in the West of the Nile spread to the United States so quickly when experts thought it was growing slowly. They analyzed the evolution of these diseases, like very late late blight in potatoes led to food shortages in Ireland in the mid-1840s . They also released a number of new fungal pathogens discovered a few years ago in Uganda that could return to threaten wheat production in the world.

In fact, this study looked at the stem rust rust in wheat stalks, where there are pathogens that can spread through the wind, as an example to explain how these pathogens or other pathogens can be moved. Mundt, an international expert in pathogens in important food crops, has studied stem borers for years.

'If we do not have crops to resist the stem borer disease in wheat, then we may not have the wheat industry. From the pathogens we find many ways to treat diseases in general, and know how pathogens can move and spread. This study confirms a very important thing to mentally prepare for a new spread of wheat stem borer disease that occurred in Uganda in 1999. '

The new disease, according to Mundt, is capable of attacking up to 75% of the world's wheat, and if it is bad, up to 50% of crops are lost worldwide.

Stem rust.(Photo: Yue Jin / USDA-ARS)

'We don't want to talk about collapsing, but a big loss can happen if a series of causes occur at the same time. This we should not let it have a chance to happen. In fact, it has spread to Iran, and new research recently indicated that this global distribution could speed up quickly. '

Everyone is aware of this problem and has worked seriously with it, and hopes they will be able to develop wheat varieties with better resistance to the disease.

'But understanding the speed and type of pathogens like that can spread just to show us that we don't have much time to waste. The problem of wheat disease may be a global problem in a few years. It would be silly if we ignore it and ignore it now. ' Mundt warned.

Most diseases in animals and plants are spread by exposure or relatively close distances that tend to move at a constant and predictable rate, the researchers say. However, some important pathogens can be generated by migratory birds. In such cases, even with small numbers of pathogens that can spread at any point, it is likely to spread disease quickly at this distance, thereby giving the pathogen a chance to spread it. develop disease spread.

In just two years 2004-2006, bird flu spreads in many parts of Africa, Europe and Asia, both due to bird migration. From a source of infection in New York City in 1999, the West Nile virus spread rapidly to most of North America within 3 years, and soon covered the entire western hemisphere.

The spread of these diseases seems to follow a definable mathematical formula, and researchers have found it.

'It is surprising to see that the spread of diseases in plants, animals and humans is related to the same mathematical formula. This provides us with a good opportunity to foresee diseases that can be eliminated and hope to cure them. ' Mundt said.

Although the fast-moving system has become extremely important in generating new pathogens globally, Mundt says, most of the spreads still go through natural organizations. Scientists participated in research at the University of North Carolina, International Corporation for Scientific Applications, and University of Alaska.Fairbank. This study was funded by the US Department of Agriculture and the Research Program for Communicable Diseases under the National Academy of Sciences and the National Institutes of Health.

This research was published in the 'American Naturalists' , a famous and professional newspaper.