Even with the use of best technologies it is extremely difficult to control Plant diseases. Swapan Kumar Dutta, deputy director general (Crop Science) of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) said that One can only delay the onset of diseases or minimize losses. Hence, new technologies like genetic modification (GM) as well-breeding techniques can be used to minimize such losses.

Dutta was speaking at the inaugural function of the three-day national symposium on 'Plant diseases management for food security' organized by the Association of Plant Pathologists (APP) of Central India, Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth (PDKV) and the Indian Society for Cotton Improvement.

KM Bujarbaruah, vice-chancellor of Assam Agriculture University, said that agriculture production could be increased by 40 million tonnes just by taking care of agriculture losses at farm level. "Diseases alone contribute to 30-35% losses.

Vice-chancellor of Maharashtra Animal and Fishery Sciences University (Mafsu) A K Misra said disease control formed a big part of agricultural research as farmers incur huge losses.

Crop yield losses in India due to pests range between 15-25%, said C Chattopadhyay, director of National Centre for Integrated Pest Management.