Plant disease

Fungi are capable of attacking all plant species causing serious damage and in some circumstances even death. Within crop production over half of potential crop yield is lost to plant pathogens most of it to fungal disease. In storage up to one-third of the harvested product can be lost to post-harvest disease, again mostly as a result of the activities of fungi. The Use of fungicides can reduce both pre- and post-harvest disease, and plant breeding programs can introduce disease-resistant strains of crop plants. Post-harvest losses can be reduced by storage of products at low temperatures and low moisture levels.