Identifying disease threats and management practices for bio-energy crops

Current research on bio-energy crops is focused almost exclusively on selection of high performing varieties and development of optimum agronomic practices, but there has been only cursory reference to diseases. Given the fact that diseases cause significant yield losses worldwide on a range of economic crops, including some that are now being grown for biofuel production, it seems short-sighted to ignore the risk that diseases may pose to successful establishment and economics of bio-energy crop production. New disease threats are likely to emerge alongside existing diseases as bio-energy crop monocultures become commonplace worldwide. The development of low-cost integrated disease management strategies will be an imperative.

Research highlights▶ This article reviews the current state of knowledge on diseases of bioenergy crops. ▶ Disease management systems for bioenergy crops must be low input/low cost. ▶ The development of resistant cultivars is a research priority. ▶ Microbial bio-inoculants can offer multiple agronomic benefits. ▶ Sophisticated integrated management systems like IAM have greatest potential.