The country adopted the Green Revolution model—an input- and chemical-intensive model—in the 1960s to increase food production. The focus was on development of new varieties and increased use of synthetic fertilizers and irrigation for increasing food production. This approach succeeded in increasing food production but failed the test of sustainability.

The book entitled Principles of Plant Pathology written by me is dedicated to my parents, who sacrificed everything to give me the most and best education possible, to my wife, ‘Archana’ whose love and support have been the most precious things to me throughout our life together, andm who helped me in many facets of preparation of this and of previous books and finally, to “Saumya” and “Adyan”, our youngest children, who, someday, when they read their names in the book, may be reassured of “Papa” love for them, and may feel proud of their father.

Sanjeev Kumar is an Assistant  Professor in the Department of Plant Pathology, Office of Dean,Faculty of  Agriculture, Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. He is a very sincere and enthusiastic teacher. He has taught with dedication to the satisfaction of students in many undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs and has been actively involved in all educational activities. Dr. Kumar has mentored 20 MSc students and 2 of his PhD students and is also actively involved in their research and extension activities. As a researcher, he has been involved in his eight major research projects sponsored by ICAR, NATP, TSP and  JICA, Japan. He has published 75 research and review articles, 25 book chapters, 105 popular articles, 1 research paper, and 3 technical brochures. He is an active member of more than six national and international societies. He is a member of Indian Phytopathological Society, IARI New Delhi, Indian Society of Mycology and Phytopathology, Udaipur, Rajasthan, Society for Promotion of Biocontrol, Banglulu. He has participated in many conferences, symposiums, workshops and presented papers. He also attended the World Soybean Research Conference in Durban, South Africa. Dr. Kumar has authored eleven books entitled Plant Pathogens and Principles of Plant Pathology, Horticultural Crop Diseases: Identification and Management, Diseases of Field Crop and their Integrated Management, Pesticides and Plant Protection Appliances, Diseases of Field and Horticultural Crop Diseases and Their Management-II,  Fundamentals of Plant Pathology, Integrated Disease Management; Principles & Practices,Principles of Plant Pathology,  Chemicals & Botanicals in Plant Diease Managment published by New India. Publishing Agency, Pithampura, New Delhi,Textbook of Field and Horticultural Crop Diseases and Their Management-I published by, Brillion Publishing, Desh Bandhu Gupta Road, Karol Bagh, New Delhi &  Principles of Plant Disease Management , Kalyani Publication, Daryaganj, New Delhi and his three practical manuals. His research interests include pulse pathology and biological control.

1.Preface

2.Natural farming

3.Plant pathology: definition, objectives, scope and importance

4.Plant diseases: definitions, importance, and concepts

5.Cause/Factors affecting disease development: disease triangle and tetrahedron

6.Classification of plant diseases

7.Important plant pathogenic organisms

8.Different  groups:    fungi,  bacteria, fastidious  vesicular  bacteria,  phytoplasmas,  spiroplasmas,  viruses,  viroids,  algae,  protozoa,    phanerogamic  parasites and nematodes 

9.Pathogenesis

10.Koch’s postulates

11.Role of enzymes, toxins and growth regulators in disease development

12.Defense mechanism in plants

13.Epidemiology: factors affecting disease development

14.Survey, surveillance and vigilance

15.Crop loss assessment and models

16.Principles and pre-requisites of forecasting of diseases

17.Principles of plant disease management

18.Host plant resistance

19.Cultural management

20.Physical  control

21.Legislative control

22.Biological control

23.Ecological management of crop environment

24.Role of soil microbiome in disease management

25.Suppressive soils: concepts & potentialities for managing soil borne pathogens

26.Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (pgpr) & their use in plant protection

27.Heritage of plant protection in natural farming

28.Plant Protection through Botanicals,

29.ITKs related to management of plant diseases

30.Symptoms, etiology, disease cycle and management of major diseases of field crops and horticulture crops