A growing threat to the world’s food supply has been identified by scientists in a report published in Nature. Crop-destroying fungi, already the biggest destroyer of crops, are causing increasing damage to the world’s most important crops, with annual losses that could sustain millions of people. The report warns of a “global health catastrophe” if fungal pathogens are not tackled. Fungi are highly resilient, travel long distances on the wind, and are evolving resistance to fungicides. Climate change is exacerbating the problem, as the pathogens move steadily polewards. The scientists call for increased research funding, development of new pesticides and seed mixtures to increase resilience.
