Safeguarding Plant Health for Sustainable Rice

by Christian Dohrmann

Plant health is vital for both environmental and human well-being, as plants supply oxygen and food. However, rice crops face increasing threats from climate-induced stressors, pests, and diseases, all of which undermine sustainable agriculture and food security.

Rice, a staple for over half the world’s population, is highly sensitive to its environment. Climate change has intensified extreme weather events—droughts, floods, and temperature fluctuations—compromising rice growth and yields. From 2000 to 2024, Asian subregions have recorded steadily rising temperatures disrupting rice-growing cycles and increasing susceptibility to environmental and biological stressors.

Warmer average temperatures create more conducive environmental conditions which both promote the reproduction of pests and diseases as well as enabling their propagation beyond their climatic and geographic origin. Studies have suggested a correlation between increased temperatures and pest outbreaks in rice, with farmers responding by intensifying infestation management strategies.