IT is a question that has occupied scientists for years – how do we feed the world’s growing population while new threats emerge to crops?
Now experts from around the world have gathered in Scotland to seek the answers.
More than 1400 plant specialists from more than 50 nations are taking part in the scientific summit in Glasgow.
The four-day gathering, titled the International Society for Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions World Congress (IS-MPMI), marks the largest ever meeting of experts in this field.
It will cover the impact of climate change, the spread of harmful pests and pathogens, plant breeding and more.
Co-organiser Professor John Jones, of Scotland’s specialist James Hutton Institute, commented: “In order to develop new ways to combat the plethora of pests and diseases in the environment it is essential to develop a full understanding of how different plants either survive or succumb to disease.
“In this fast-moving scientific field, timely communication between researchers is vital to uncover and learn from the molecular battles that occur between plants and the pests and parasites that infect them.”
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According to the United Nations, the world’s population is currently 7.7 billion.
However, this is expected to hit 9.7 billion by 2050.
And in order to meet the increased demand for daily supplies, food population must rise by 70%, it is estimated.
However, up to 40% of all crops are lost to pathogens long before they hit supermarkets and kitchens, with pests and disease responsible for much of this loss.
But established pesticides are becoming less effective on pathogens as resistance grows.
And tightening regulations restricting the use of chemical control agents are said to be further hitting food production, regardless of the health and environmental concerns around them.
And as the planet warms, pests once confined to particular geographical areas are able to spread to and thrive in areas where they would have once found conditions hostile.
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It is estimated that Edinburgh could feel as hot as Paris by 2050 as the mercury rises by 2C, with conditions in London on a par with those currently seen in Catalan culture capital Barcelona.
Governments pledged to limit the temperature hike to 1.5C in the landmark Paris Agreement, which was signed in 2016.
Nicola Sturgeon is amongst the global leaders to have declared a “climate emergency”.
However, Russia has yet to ratify the accord and US President Donald Trump has slated it as “ineffective and very, very expensive”.
The IS-MPMI summit began yesterday and will continue until this Thursday.
Participants have travelled from as far afield as Austria, Canada, Holland and Oman.
Others are representing their universities in Brazil, Sweden and New Zealand.
As it began, Professor Paul Birch – head of the division of plant sciences at the University of Dundee and a co-organiser of the gathering – commented: “Delegates will hear about the latest advances in our knowledge of how pathogens infect plants and of how research can help to improve the plant immune system to fight off infection.”
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