Disease Problems in Vegetable Production

Vegetables are a rich source of vitamins, minerals and the much needed roughage in our daily diet. These are of primary importance for an adequate and balanced human diet and contribute significantly to regional and national economy. However, the cultivation of these crops is often affected by the ravages of pests and diseases, thereby, lowering their yield potential. Diseases also cause subsequent post-harvest transit and storage losses. In the past few decades, dramatic advancements have been made in understanding the nature of vegetable diseases through in-depth investigations in host-pathogen interactions, development of molecular diagnostic tools and integration of new concepts, principals and approaches for their effective management. Indiscriminate use of chemicals for the management of vegetable diseases has led to an increase in environmental pollution and development of resistant strains of the pathogens. In the recent years, several advances have been made in eco-friendly technologies for integrated management of vegetable diseases.