Climate change likely to favor soil-borne plant pathogens for diseases like dry root rot of chickpea in future

Context

Indian scientists decode factors causing DRR disease in chickpea crop.

About

About Chickpea:

Chickpea is an essential crop for protein nutrition and is grown around the world in rain-fed conditions.
However, chickpea cultivation is under threat due to emerging diseases favored by drought stress.
Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) also known as garbanzo is an integral part of many Asian and sub-Saharan countries’ food security programs and this region accounts for more than 95% of the global chickpea production.

About Dry root rot (DRR) disease:

It is a soil-borne disease initiated by soil-borne fungal threads or spores of the fungus Macrophomina phaseolina.
Dry root rot (DRR) disease causes reduced vigour, dull green leaf colour, poor new growth, and twig dieback.
If extensive root damage occurs, the leaves suddenly wilt and dry on the tree.
The symptoms appear suddenly when ambient temperatures are between 30-35°
The increasing global average temperature is leading to appearance of many new plant disease-causing pathogens at a rate hitherto unheard of.
At present, the central and southern states of India have been identified as the prime chickpea DRR hotspots accounting for overall 5 to 35 per cent incidences of the disease.