Future Strategies and Priorities

It is not easy to set priorities of research for any biological system owing to its dynamic nature, plasticity and struggle for self survival. However, there is very thin line between haves and have nots, but following points may strengthen our Sclerotinia disease management package.

• 1. Biotechnological methods viz., gene transfer, Agrobacterium tumefaciens mediated transformation, protoplast culture, somatic hybridization and microplast techniques should be exploited for developing transgenic plants of crops with superior resistance to Sclerotinia.

• 2. Utilizing the benefits of Agrobacterium mediated transformation of bi-nucleate ascospores should expedite future gene transfer, gene knock-out and insertional mutagenesis studies on this pathogen.

• 3. Use of molecular techniques is required to resolve the question of phylogeny of Sclerotinia spp. other related genera and species.

• 4. Several strategies including detoxification defense, activation and general inhibition have potential to engineer Sclerotinia resistance.

• 5. Hypo virulent isolates of Sclerotinia spp. should be evaluated for their role in reducing virulence in populations and their potential application in disease management.

• 6. A better understanding of qualitative and quantitative attributes of Sclerotinia disease epidemics of different crops in variable environmental niche is required.

• 7. To make biological control a success, detailed studies are required on the ecology, biology, biochemistry, genetic engineering and molecular biology to understand mechanisms of action of BCAs through optional strain selection, improved formulation and delivery system.

• 8. Biological control products should be very effective (comparable to chemicals), economical, easy to use, non-toxic, environmentally safe to be acceptable to regulatory agencies, growers and consumers.

• 9. The integrated disease management strategy including cultural, chemical, biological and host resistance should be refined, retested and revalidated under ever changing environmental conditions.

• 10. The knowledge of relationships between the growth stages of Sclerotinia and phenology of crops is effective in integrating management tactics that target the most vulnerable stages of the pathogen and the crop attributes that contribute to disease development in the field.

• 11. It may be promising to investigate potential disease avoidance mechanisms such as open and upright plant architecture as a source for selecting new cultivars in crops.

• 12. It is essential to establish inter and interdisciplinary team work between plant pathologists, microbiologists, molecular biologist, weed ecologists, agronomists, soil scientists, formulation experts and application technologists to overcome the constraints being faced for management of Sclerotinia diseases and to use this pathogen as mycoherbicide for obnoxious weed management.