Relationship between fungal bioaerosols and biotic stress on crops: a case study on wheat rust fungi

This study proposes the relationship between fungal bioaerosols and biotic stress on crops using a case study on wheat leaf rust reported from northern India. We sampled and quantified the size-resolved fungal bioaerosols using the next-generation sequencing technique from a wheat crop field during winter. Puccinia recondita, the fungal pathogen that causes wheat leaf rust, was identified during the study period. The pathogen is known for its frequent and widespread occurrence of new variants that causes disease-resistant crop varieties susceptible to infections. This reveals the need for frequent and systematic monitoring to prevent rust infection. In the current study, the size-resolved fungal bioaerosol characterization was linked to the dispersal properties of the fungal propagules, and using a theoretical dispersion model, originating source and the areas of high risk for wheat leaf rust infection were identified. Our findings may serve as a vital reference for crop pathologists, agro technologists, environmentalists, and policymakers to expand the investigation on the biotic stress caused by the invasion of fungal bioaerosols on various crops and to implement preventive measures to ensure global food security.