INTRODUCTION TO INTEGRATED DISEASE MANAGEMENT HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE AND CURRENT TRENDS

Integrated disease management (IDM) is a holistic approach that combines multiple strategies to control plant diseases, aiming for sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions. Historically, IDM emerged from the necessity to address the limitations and adverse effects of single-methods disease control such as chemical pesticides. Early practices focused on crop rotation, resistant varieties and cultural methods. The green revolution of the mid-20th century while boosting agricultural productivity also highlighted the need for integrated approaches due to the negative environmental impacts and resistance issues associated with chemical reliance. In recent decades,
IDM has evolved to incorporate advances in biological control, genetic engineering and precision agriculture. Current trends emphasize the integration of cutting-edge technologies like sensing, big data analytics and
artificial intelligence to monitor and predict disease outbreaks more accurately. Additionally, there is a growing focus on microbial consortia and natural predators as biological control agents alongside the development of
disease-resistant crop varieties through genetic modification and CRISPR technology. Sustainable agriculture and climate change adaptation have also become central themes, promoting practices that reduce the carbon footprint
and enhance ecosystem resilience. Overall, IDM represents a dynamic and evolving field that continues to integrate traditional knowledge with modern innovations to ensure sustainable plant health management.