Influence of rising temperature and atmospheric CO₂ on blast disease development in pearl millet

Temperature and CO2 level of the atmosphere are rising hence a study was carried out at college of agriculture, RVSKVV, Gwalior (M.P.) during 2023 to access the impact of elevated level of CO2 and temperature on the severity of pearl millet blast. Results revealed a significant increase in Percent disease index (PDI) of pearl millet blast with hike CO₂ and temperature levels. The highest PDI at 30 DAS (30.6%) was observed in 550 ppm CO₂, followed by 25.7% and 21.5% in 500 and 450 ppm respectively. Similarly, temperature elevation led to increased disease severity, with PDI values of 22.2%, 27.0%, and 28.9% under ambient + 1 °C, + 1.5 °C, and + 2 °C, respectively, compared to 20.2% under ambient and 15.2% under open field conditions. The findings suggest that both elevated CO₂ and higher temperatures significantly enhance the severity of Pearl millet blast, indicating a potential threat to pearl millet production under future climatic change scenarios. These results emphasize the need for climate-resilient crop hybrids/varieties and adaptive disease management strategies to safeguard food security.