Methods for Soilborne Disease Regulation from a Systems Perspective in Global South

A healthy soil is considered a system that involves many interacting components like substrate, microbiome, and environmental factors such as temperature, pH, humidity, and in some cases cultivated crops. All these components are continually interacting with each other, and striving towards equilibrium. Depending on the composition of soil as a system, it may be stable with a certain level of equilibrium that could lead to the production of quality yields under environmentally friendly conditions. Conversely, a defective soil system can be a source of different types of soilborne diseases that imply a reduction in crop performance, decreased yield, higher production costs, and environmental insecurity. Before the implementation of the Montreal Protocol, methyl bromide was extensively used to control soilborne pathogens; however, the high cost of chemical fungicides, the appearance of fungicide-resistant strains, the support of (micro and micro) environmental change, new disease outbreaks, and increasing concerns about chemical side effects on the environment as well as soil health are increasingly evident. Therefore, the use of integrated soilborne disease regulation strategies for crop production such as tillage, crop rotations, and biological control is necessary. This approach seeks to optimize disease management while preserving soil health and ecosystem integrity. With a focus on the Global South, this chapter summarizes existing methods for the regulation of soilborne diseases from a systems perspective to enhance crop production through soil sanitation, disinfestation, steam sterilization, solarization, and cultivation of disease-resistant cultivars, as well as the use of biofumigants, soil amendments, soilless cultures, and biochemical controls. Also, the different methods with their strengths and weaknesses, modes of action, and interactions are discussed in this chapter. In addition, future perspectives that might lead to the implementation of soilborne disease regulatory and management strategies from a system-based approach are highlighted.