Palms are monocots, Angiosperms, belonging to the family Palmae (Arecaceae), perennials having woody stems. Palmae (Arecaceae) family comprised of about six subfamilies, 200 genera and 2,700 species that are distributed all over the tropical, subtropical and Mediterranean landscape. Palms are diverse (ecologically and morphologically) group of plants. Ornamental palms are important component of landscape as well as interiorscapes. Additionally, these plants are good source of food, feed and shelter with numerous other commercial benefits. Likewise other trees and crops, landscape and field nurseries of palms are also subjected to various threats of insect pest and diseases (caused by different plant pathogens). Amongst fungal diseases leaf spots, leaf blights, Fusarium wilts, butt rots, bud rots, root rots, lethal yellowing and decline of palms are major growth constraints of palm growth. In developing countries very little attention has been paid on the etiology and management of these fungal diseases on ornamental palms. Accurate diagnosis and reliable management plan of palm fungal diseases usually requires expertise in both modern and advanced plant pathological approaches.
Historically it was general belief that plant pathogens are not associated with human diseases. Since 19th century, several clinical reports are available indicating many plant pathogenic fungi (Aspergillus spp., Penicillium spp., Alternaria spp., Trichoderma spp., Fusarium spp., Curvularia spp. and Colletotrichum Spp) as novel agents of human diseases. Besides the association of fungal plant pathogens infecting ornamental palms, harbouring any of earlier mentioned or other fungal species (capable of causing certain diseases in human beings or pets) by the ornamental palms cultivation (either grown indoor or outdoor) is an important area of research to be explored and addressed thoroughly.
This book will provide the deep information regarding major fungal diseases of ornamental palms, their symptoms, disease identification, and etiology and management strategies. This book will also provide unique knowledge regarding the ornamental palms harbouring kinds of human fungal pathogens and their practical management at domestic and commercial scale, in order to make cultivation of these plant more beneficial for humans, animals and environment.
Author Biography:
Dr. Imran Ul Haq is a Plant Pathologist and specialized in Fungal Molecular taxonomy. Currently he is Associate Professor and in-charge of Fungal Molecular Biology Laboratory as well as Fungal Molecular Biology Laboratory Culture Collection (FMB-CC-UAF), in the Department of Plant Pathology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan. He is running different research projects funded by national and international agencies. His research interests are fungal molecular taxonomy, integration of nanotechnology with other control strategies for sustainable plant disease management. He has authored three Laboratory manuals, more than 50 research publications in well reputed, peer reviewed, high impacted national and international journals and book chapters. He is co-author of a book “Recombinant DNA Technology”. He has edited a book “Plant Disease Management Strategies for Sustainable Agriculture through Traditional and Modern Approaches” published from Springer Nature platform.
Dr. Siddra Ijaz is a Molecular Biologist and is currently serving as Assistant Professor in the Center of Agricultural Biochemistry and Biotechnology (CABB), University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan. She has several competitive research grants funded by national a well as international agencies, and established molecular biology laboratory. Her research focus includes plant genome engineering using transgenic technologies, genome editing through CRISPR/Cas9 and nanobiotechnology. She has authored two books “Molecular Basis of Life” and “Recombinant DNA Technology”, besides, she is also the Editor of a book, Plant Disease Managment Strategies for Sustainable Agriculture through Traditional and Modern Approaches". She has more than 40 research publications in high impacted, peer reviewed national and international scientific Journals as well as several book chapters are also on her credit.
