Fungicides in Crop Protection

Plant pathogenic fungi cause devastating damage to crop production worldwide. The growing global population necessitates reduced crop losses to improve food security, and the control of fungal plant pathogens is vital to help maintain food production. Providing a concise and balanced review of fungicides used in crop protection, this book describes the science of fungicide use, selection and resistance within the context of farming situations. Major updates and additions reflecting the emergence of two new classes of fungicides and the increased incidence of fungicide resistance are included in this new edition, which also discusses legislative requirements to reduce fungicide applications, and current trends in fungicide use. Plant protection products play a crucial role in maintaining adequate supplies of high quality, affordable food. Without these products to keep weed, pest and disease pressures in check, crop yields would fall by around a third. Plant protection products are also widely used outside crop production, for example in maintaining the quality of gardens, golf courses and sports pitches, and ensuring the safety of our railways and roads. The plant protection products are lifesaving medicines for plants. When attacked by disease or pests, a plant's natural response is to produce its own chemical protection. Man-made pesticides are only used when a plant's own chemical defenses do not work well enough. But like human and veterinary medicines, plant protection products can pose some risks if they are not used with due care. Their registration and use is therefore strictly regulated and controlled.