Climate change and wars aiding spread of plant ‘pandemics’ that threaten world’s food supply

Wheat blast fungus has devastated crops in South America, Asia and Africa. Photo: Leonhard Foeger/Reuters

Danny Halpin

Climate change, globalisation and armed conflict are facilitating the spread of plant pandemics and threatening the production of food on which billions of people rely, scientists have said.

An “unprecedented” spread of a fungus infecting wheat across the globe has led scientists to call for greater international collaboration in genetic surveillance of crop species to minimise their destruction.