Future Scenarios for Plant Virus Pathogens as Climate Change Progresses

Area of Science:

• Plant pathology
• Climate change science
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Climate change poses a significant threat to global food security and natural ecosystems by influencing plant virus disease epidemics.
• Understanding these impacts is complex due to climate alterations affecting diverse vectors and novel virus emergence.
• Previous reviews in 2011 and earlier provided foundational analyses of climate change effects on plant viruses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To summarize findings from earlier climate change reviews and focus on research published since 2011 regarding plant virus epidemics.
• To describe the likely effects of various climate change parameters on plant hosts, viruses, vectors, and control strategies.
• To identify information gaps and deficiencies in current research.

Main Methods:

• Literature review synthesizing findings from earlier climate change reviews.
• Focus on research published on plant virus epidemics and climate change since 2011.
• Analysis of direct and indirect climate change parameters affecting hosts, viruses, and vectors.

Main Results:

• Progress has been made in understanding the effects of elevated CO2, temperature, and rainfall on specific plant viruses and insect vectors like aphids.
• Climate change parameters directly and indirectly influence plant hosts, viruses, and their vectors.
• Significant information gaps and deficiencies persist in understanding the full scope of climate change impacts.

Conclusions:

• Increased severity of plant virus epidemics and greater control difficulties are anticipated due to climate change.
• Mitigating detrimental effects on food security and plant biodiversity requires substantial further research.
• Continued research is essential to prepare for future challenges in managing plant virus diseases under a changing climate.