Biological Bases of Plant Protection from Ergot Infection

Ergot annually causes significant economic losses in agriculture, livestock, and the food industry around the world. There is no way to ensure the complete protection of plants from infection by this pathogen, or the complete purification of agricultural products from these mycotoxins. This review gains insight into the most current trends in ergot control, such as the management of crop areas, grasslands, and pastures; the application of fungicides; product detoxification; breeding selection for plant resistance; and the reduction of infection incidence associated with control of the cytoplasmic male sterility and fertility restoration. The efficient management of the crop industry and production quality are the most used and reliable methods today. Product detoxification and fungicide applications require further research and can be used only in conjunction with another method. Selecting for resistance and restoring fertility is promising for the future. In our opinion, the most promising at this stage is a combination of several methods of plant protection and product quality control. An integrated approach to solving this problem can maximally protect humans and domesticated animals from the toxic effects of ergot.