importance of fungicides for feeding the world leonard p. gianessi croplife foundation
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Importance of Fungicides for
Feeding the World
Leonard P. Gianessi
CropLife Foundation
Fungicide Use Patterns
Current Future
World Fungicide Sales : Crops
2000: $ 6 billion 2012: $12 billion
Phillips McDougall
World Fungicide Sales : Crops(billion $/year)
$4.1 : Fruit and Vegetables $2.2 : Cereals $1.2 : Soybeans $ .8 : Rice
Phillips McDougall
Cereals: Europe
“Yields of cereal crops in Europe are among the highest in the world and the levels and consistency of these yields is in no small part due to the use of fungicides.”
Redbond,2006
China Wheat (#1 in World)
Wheat losses due to rust (million tonnes)
1950 – 6.0 1964 – 3.2 1990 – 1.8 2002 – 1.3
Now: Treat 6 million hectares with fungicides
Wheat rust
Zhenshng, et al. 2010.
Kenya: Wheat Rust
“All the current commercial wheat cultivars are highly susceptible to the new race, and it is not possible to grow a profitable crop of wheat without the application of a fungicide.” Wanyera, et al, 2009
Rice: Sheath Blight
“Despite its economic importance, there are no completely resistant rice cultivars against this fungal rice disease and control methods for sheath blight are limited to heavy usage of fungicides.”Shrestha,et al, 2013
Brazil: Soybean Production
0
15
30
45
60
75
1952 1962 1972 1982 1992 2002
MillionTons
FAO
Soybean Rust Pustules
Brazil: First appeared 2001
By 2003: Spread to entire country
Yield losses up to 75%
Yorinori, 2005.
Brazil: Spraying Soybeans
Fungicides prevent yield losses of 44%
Scherm, et al. 2009.
Brazil: Soybean Fungicide Market
25
200
600 600
800
0
200
400
600
800
1000
2001 2003 2005 2007 2009
MillionUS$
Phillips McDougall
World Fungicide Sales : Crops(billion $/year)
$ .7 : Potato $ .5 : Pome Fruit $1.0 :Vine
Phillips McDougall
Potato Late Blight:Ireland
“From the end of May until harvest, farmers spray fungicides every 7 to 14 days. Without the sprays, the potato fields of Ireland would echo the destruction that began in 1845.” Washington Post,
March 17,2013
India: Apples
4 billion pounds/year 9-10 sprays for scab
Thakur, 2008
France: Apples
4 billion pounds/year 15-20 sprays for scab
Brun, 2008
Africa:Maize as traditional food
• Main food for 50% of the population.
• 65% of farms have shortages before next harvest.
Maize Yields (Tons/hectare)
Africa
1.6
Global
4.5
FAO
Gray Leaf Spot on Maize Leaf
Maize: Africa, Fungicides
Sprayed Unsprayed
Fungicides increase maize yields 27 to 54%
Verma, 2001.
Africa: Potato Consumption
Potato Production: Sub-Saharan Africa
FAO
1990=1.00
Kenyan Highlands
Potatoes: Africa, Fungicides
Sprayed
Unsprayed
Namanda,et al, 2004.
Fungicide spray increases yield by 224%
Russia: Potatoes, Family Plots
90% of production No use of fungicides 46% Loss in Yield
Filippov, 2007
Climate Change: Finland
“With a longer growing season plant pathogens will thrive. An increase of 1 degree C in southern Finland extends the period when late blight control is necessary by 10-20 days, which means 1-2 more fungicide applications.”
Hakula, et al, 2011
Japanese Rice
Famines due to rice blast
1695, 1783, 1833‒1837
Last major rice blast outbreak : 1953
Fungicides have prevented outbreaks since then
Rice blast
Oku, 1994.
Monument to fungicides for rice blast control in Nankoku, Japan
Conclusions
Fungicides are Essential for Feeding the World
A significant increase in fungicide use would greatly improve international food security
