Diseases in tropical and plantation crops as affected by climate changes: current knowledge and perspectives

Tropical and plantation crops include important crops for food security and alternative energy resources. Even so, there are few studies on the impact of climate change on diseases of these crops. Findings from previous studies concerning some climate-change effects on diseases of coffee, sugarcane, eucalyptus, cassava, citrus, banana, pineapple, cashew, coconut and papaya have been summarized to provide a context. By reviewing available methods to evaluate the impact of climate change on diseases of tropical and plantation crops, we present trends for some diseases and their management strategies, identify critical gaps in knowledge, and suggest experimental and analytical approaches to advance knowledge. As the projected climate conditions will probably vary greatly in the future from continent to continent and from developed to developing countries, studies must be conducted under tropical regions considering their specific environmental conditions. Multifactor studies under realistic field situations, such as free air CO2 enrichment with increasing CO2 and O3 concentrations incorporating spectral reflectance measures in situ for realistic assessment of plant growth, are a way forward. Effects of a changing climate on chemical and biological controls are discussed in the context of changing global outlook on environmental demands for the future.