Global wheat production to fall by 13% due to fungus

Wheat

Bangladesh

United States

Published Feb 5, 2024

Tridge summary

A group of international scientists has warned that a parasitic fungus, Magnaporthe oryzae, could decrease global wheat production by 13% by 2050 due to its accelerated spread caused by climate change. The fungus poses a significant threat to wheat, particularly in humid regions such as South America, South Africa, and Asia, where up to 75% of wheat-growing areas could be affected. The study suggests that farmers may need to transition to more sustainable crops and underscores the need for developing fungus-resistant wheat varieties.

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Original content

The further spread of a fungal disease of wheat could reduce global production of the key crop by 13% until 2050, warns an international group of scientists, the online publication FarmingUK reports on February 2. Wheat is the most important food crop. Currently, the global cultivation area is 222 million hectares, and the average global harvest is 779 million tons. The researchers ran simulations showing how wheat yields would change in the future. Scientists are confident that fungal plant diseases are spreading faster than a few years ago due to climate change. One such threat is the parasitic fungus Magnaporthe oryzae. In humid regions, it has become a major threat to production since it was first discovered in 1985. The fungus initially spread from Brazil to neighboring countries. The first cases outside of South America were reported in Bangladesh in 2016 and Zambia in 2018. According to the researchers, South America, South Africa and Asia will be the regions most affected ...

Source: Zol