Which disease was introduced to India through plant introduction?
Historical evidence documents inadvertent pathogen establishment via planting material. Coffee rust caused by Hemileia vastatrix, basidiomycete producing orange urediniospores on lower leaf surface causing chlorosis and premature defoliation, originated in Sri Lanka then Ceylon and entered India in 1876 through infected seedlings imported for plantation expansion. Epidemic destroyed Arabica areas in Western Ghats, forcing shift to robusta Coffea canephora which carries resistance SH genes. Similar introductions: late blight Phytophthora infestans through Europe, bunchy top virus of banana via suckers. Mycelium survival in vegetative propagules escapes visual inspection, emphasizing need for molecular diagnostics, ELISA and post-entry isolation growing. Lesson reinforced need for stringent phytosanitary certification before cultivar release. This understanding supports competitive exam preparation for NEET, GATE and CSIR NET concepts linking genotype with phenotype through molecular pathways involving transcription factors, hormones and metabolic enzymes that regulate development, adaptation and reproductive biology in applied breeding programs. Additional insights from genomic studies reveal QTL clusters, epigenetic modifications and protein interactions that influence trait expression under varied agro-climatic conditions and management.
Ref: Indian Coffee Board history rust introduction; NCERT Plant Disease introduction case; Singh BD Disease introduction chapter.