New study identifies mycobiome-based strategy to combat cassava stem and root rot disease
Researchers at ICAR-CTCRI and IARI have identified a mycobiome-based strategy to combat cassava stem and root rot disease in Kerala. By restoring soil health and using beneficial microbes, farmers can reduce reliance on chemical fungicides and improve crop resilience.
Why it matters
This strategy offers a sustainable solution for food security in flood-prone regions, protecting a vital tuber crop from soil-borne pathogens.
For cassava (tapioca) farmers in Kerala, the cassava stem and root rot (CSRR) disease had emerged as a major concern in 2020 after the destructive floods of 2018. Now, researchers at the ICAR-Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (CTCRI), Thiruvananthapuram, and the ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, may have found a solution.
The IARI and CTCRI researchers say they have identified a “promising” mycobiome-based strategy for managing CSRR. The disease has resulted in significant crop loss, especially in the wetland regions.
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