Will climatic changes enhance the risk of Tilletia indica in Europe?

Abstract

The losses caused by T. indica consist mainly in losses of export markets, in costs of quarantine precautions, control and treatment of the infected grain. These reasons were satisfactory for implementation of plant quarantine precautions against T. indica in the countries of the European Union. However, all the known records of T. indica from the field fall to regions of arid or semiarid climate with mild to cold winter and a hot summer, altogether with a small amount of rainfall. At present, the important requirement of critical amount of the viable nongerminated teliospores at the time period suitable for infection and suitable weather conditions at the same period (namely before wheat flowering) is not accomplished in Europe. Conditions necessary for the establishment of T. indica in Europe are discussed.