Act, while there’s still time

I read with much interest your editorial “Pests and climate change” (1-15 February, 2020). It reminded me about an article I wrote 20 years ago on the need for anticipatory research on potato crops. India’s Potato Revolution became a success because of the possibility of growing the seed crop during aphid-free season. Aphids are vectors for a variety of pests affecting potato.The benefit of an aphid-free season will vanish under conditions of climate change.This is why I have been proposing anticipatory research to develop potato crops from true seeds (botanical seeds).Thank you for raising this issue.

M S SWAMINATHAN

FOUNDER CHAIRMAN, M S SWAMINATHAN RESEARCH FOUNDATION, CHENNAI