Warming increases Bacterial Panicle Blight (Burkholderia glumae) occurrences and impacts on USA rice production

Abstract

Bacterial Panicle Blight (BPB), caused by Burkholderia glumae , is a bacterial disease in rice ( Oryza sativa ) that reduces rice yield and quality for producers and consequently creates higher market prices for consumers. BPB is caused by the simultaneous occurrence of high daily minimum temperatures (~22°C) and relative humidity (~77%), which may increase under the current scenario of global warming. This study hypothesized that the economic damage from warming may cause an increase in economic losses, though at a decreasing rate per degree. Thus, this study estimates the yield losses associated with BPB occurrences at the county level in the Mid-South United States (US) for annual rice production in 2003–2013 and under +1–3°C warming scenarios using daily weather information with appropriate thresholds. From the estimated losses, the total production potential of a BPB-resistant rice was quantified using a spatial equilibrium trade model to further estimate market welfare changes with the counterfactual scenario that all US county-level rice production were BPB resistant. Results from the study indicate that the alleviation of BPB would represent a $69 million USD increase in consumer surplus in the US and a concomitant increase in rice production that would feed an additional 1.46 million people annually assuming a global average consumption of 54 Kg per person. Under the 1°C warming scenario, BPB occurrences and production losses would cause price increases for rice and subsequently result in a $112 million USD annual decrease in consumer surplus in the US and a loss of production equivalent to feeding 2.17 million people. Under a 3°C warming scenario, production losses due to BPB cause an annual reduction of $204 million USD in consumer surplus in the US, and a loss in production sufficient to feed 3.98 million people a year. As global warming intensifies, BPB could become a more common and formidable rice disease to combat, and breeding for BPB resistance would be the primary line-of-defense as currently no effective chemical options are available. The results of this study inform agriculturalists, policymakers, and economists about the value of BPB-resistance in the international rice market and also help support efforts to focus future breeding toward climate change impact resilience.

Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria as an Emerging Tool to Manage Bacterial Rice Pathogens

“…Rice diseases caused by bacteria are the main constraint towards sustainable productivity of rice [ 2 ]. Up until now, extensive work has been carried out on the management of bacterial diseases of rice caused by bacterial species belonging to the genus Xanthomonas [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]. With an awareness to reduce chemical usage to decrease the proliferation of pathogenic microbes, biocontrol is a promising strategy to combat phytopathogens [ 6 ].…”

Bioinspired Green Synthesis of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles from a Native Bacillus cereus Strain RNT6: Characterization and Antibacterial Activity against Rice Panicle Blight Pathogens Burkholderia glumae and B. gladioli

“…The rice BPB disease was first reported in Japan; however, it is currently spread in most rice-producing countries, including China, the United States, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, South Korea, and Panama [ 5 , 6 ]. The BPB has severely reduced yields of infected rice fields as it causes severe damage, e.g., floret sterility, grain abortion, and milling quality reduction [ 7 , 8 , 9 ].…”

Multiple endogenous seed-born bacteria recovered rice growth disruption caused by Burkholderia glumae

“…Because the optimal temperature range for the growth of B. glumae is 30–35 °C 4 , and production of toxoflavin is enhanced at high temperatures around 37 °C 5 , rapid multiplication may occur more frequently in tropical and semi-tropical countries, and the disease is likely to spread more rapidly with intense global warming. Shew et al estimated the economic loss for a 1 °C increase in the Mid-South United States as a $112 million USD annual decrease in consumer surplus in that specific area of US, and a loss of production equivalent to feeding 2.17 million people 6 .…”