The role of plant disease epidemiology in developing successful integrated disease management programs

Abstract

The role of initial inoculum (yo), rate (r) of pathogen or disease development (infection), and period of time (t) that the pathogen and host populations interact during the cropping period is revisited in modeling plant disease epidemics. The importance of quantitative informations and the relationship between initial inoculum and the rate of disease development represent key elements for identification of the most useful disease models to be used. For effective Integrated Disease Management of monocyclic or polycyclic epidemics, temporal population growth models of plant disease epidemics (monomolecular, exponential, logistic and Gompertz population models) are presented. Sanitation and disease management principles (exclusion, avoidance, eradication, protection, resistance and therapy) are described. Finally, the integration of IPM practices, at the disease components level, with Lieberg's Law of the Minimum is discussed. © 2007 Springer.