Vol. 7, Issue 5 (2019)
Progress of plant disease research: Rig veda to molecular plant pathology
Author(s): Sukanya Gogoi and Urmil Barthakur
Abstract: Much earlier than the time of Theophrastus (300 BC), evidence about natural havoc in crop plants is found in the ancient Greek civilization and in our Epics and Vedas (3700 BC). Ever since human beings started growing plants, plant pathogens have also started competing with humans to obtain their share of food from plants which resulted into disease in the plants. The quest to know the causes of plant disease and measure to control them had begun with the advent of civilization several decades before the birth of Christ. Existence of microbial organisms, although unseen at that time was indirectly recognized by the ancient Greek civilization (3400 BC), ancient Hebrews and the ancient Hindu culture (1500 BC). Ancient India not only had a medical science for humans (Ayurveda) but also for the plants i.e. Vrikshyayurveda. Surapala wrote Vrikshyayurveda, an ancient Indian science of plant life which is the starting point of systematic plant protection in Indian agricultural history, where he mentioned about the ailments of plant diseases. As status and importance of various disease have changed over the years, more sophisticated technologies have to be carried out in the future. RNA interference has emerged as a powerful tool for battling some of the most challenging disease caused by viruses, bacteria and fungi. Nanoscale science and nanotechnologies are visualized to have the potential to revolutionize agriculture and food systems and has given birth to the new era of Agronanotechnology. Society, consumers and growers will only be able to continue to benefit from plant pathology if the discipline can evolve appropriate disease management schemes that can respond to the significant changes in agricultural practices in India; the ultimate goal being to produce more and safer food in sustainable agricultural systems that conserves natural resources and the environment.
Pages: 62-67 | 783 Views 114 Downloads
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How to cite this article:
Sukanya Gogoi, Urmil Barthakur. Progress of plant disease research: Rig veda to molecular plant pathology. Int J Chem Stud 2019;7(5):62-67.
