A history of strategies and a tapestry of triumphant tales in tackling plant fungal diseases

Ever since the first crops were domesticated over 10,000 years ago, pests and pathogens have wreaked havoc on crop production. Despite diverse threats from longstanding and emerging diseases, plants continue to play a central role in meeting humanity's requirements for calories and nutrients. In this review, we discuss historical advances made by plant pathologists and breeders that have helped keep many plant diseases at bay. We focus predominantly on fungal diseases of five food crops—rice, wheat, maize, soybean and potato—that provide the bulk of calories consumed globally. We cover such historical triumphs in plant pathology as (i) advanced knowledge of fungal biology revolutionizing disease management strategies, (ii) integration of genetics by the ‘wheat wizard’ Rowland Biffen and others transforming the landscape of resistance breeding and (iii) the advent of modern fungicides—from a sinking ship in the 1660s—leading to dramatic yield enhancements. We also discuss (iv) the potential for emerging biocontrol agents to holistically promote plant health and yield. Today, the high homogeneity of crops in modern agricultural systems exacerbates yield losses due to disease by increasing pest/pathogen transmission rates and eroding natural spatial barriers to pest/pathogen dispersal. Meanwhile, climate change is altering the compositions of global pest and pathogen populations and expanding pest/pathogen territories with unpredictable consequences. As we look to the future, the strength of the plant pathology community remains central to developing innovative solutions to tackle these complex and expanding threats to plant health and secure a plentiful food supply.