The 12th BCPC Diseases Review, held under the theme “Resilient Systems: The Future of Crop Disease Management,” explored how agriculture can build resilience against increasing disease pressures, climate change, regulatory change and evolving societal expectations. Across the programme, speakers consistently emphasised that no single technology will provide the answer; instead, future resilience will depend on integrating genetics, crop protection, agronomy, diagnostics, data science and supportive regulation.

A major focus was the growing role of precision breeding in improving crop resilience. Phil Howell highlighted the importance of genetic diversity and argued that precision breeding should be viewed as a valuable addition to the breeder’s toolkit rather than a standalone solution. Presentations from Dr Agnieszka Witek and Rachel Wells demonstrated how precision breeding is already moving from laboratory research into practical applications, with projects targeting durable resistance to late blight and viruses in potato, and light leaf spot in oilseed rape. These examples showed how genome editing can accelerate the introduction of beneficial traits while complementing conventional breeding approaches.

The Review also highlighted the broader challenge of maintaining crop productivity as disease pressures increase and access to traditional crop protection tools becomes more restricted. Pedro Carvalho described how climate change, emerging diseases and the shrinking availability of pesticides are driving the need for innovation. He showcased how programmes such as the Farming Innovation Programme are supporting collaborative research and helping to translate scientific breakthroughs into solutions that can be adopted on farms.

Looking further ahead, Dr David Hughes examined the future of disease control and the range of technologies likely to shape the next generation of crop protection. These include RNA interference, microbial biocontrols, protein-based pesticides, UV-C treatments, advanced diagnostics and predictive disease forecasting systems. His presentation reinforced the message that future disease management will be increasingly knowledge-driven and integrated.

Regulation emerged as another key theme. Both precision breeding and crop protection innovation depend on regulatory systems that enable new technologies to reach growers. Sheridawn Schoeman examined the implications of post-Brexit regulatory developments, highlighting both opportunities and uncertainties surrounding future EU-UK alignment and the potential impact on innovation and product availability.

This year’s Review also benefitted from three PhD Early Career poster sessions:

• Daisy Garrett (Niab): Evaluating Fungicide Efficacy against Claviceps purpurea -Implications for Ergot Control
• Patrick McClean (Rothamsted): Crop-associated structuring of airborne fungal communities above wheat and oilseed rape in Spring 2024
• Fareed Bhatti (Rothamsted): Understanding true eyespot disease of cereals: past, present and future

Overall, the Diseases Review painted a picture of an industry in transition. While disease threats, climate pressures and regulatory challenges continue to intensify, advances in genetics, crop protection, digital technologies and scientific collaboration are creating new opportunities. The clear message throughout the event was that resilient crop production systems will be built through the combination of multiple complementary approaches, supported by innovation, investment and evidence-based policy.