Crop losses due to plant pathogens

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Abstract
Losses caused by plant pathogens have been and remain important constraints, worldwide, on efforts to increase crop production and productivity. With what appears to have been a decade of small improvements in the yield of major food and fiber crops, interest has been renewed on better definition and reduction of losses as a means of increasing crop yields. Crop loss assessment and management requires a multidisciplinary approach because pathogens (fungi, bacteria, viruses. nematodes) not only interact with each other, but with other biotic and abiotic factors to affect yield. This review addresses both historical and current issues associated with the physiological basis of yield loss in plants, the statistical estimation of field disease and losses, and the use of modem technology and systems modeling in the study of losses at different levels of biological organization. The authors also discuss implementation of regional loss assessment programs and the use of loss information for decision‐making.