Guest editor's page: the path to food security in Australia through better plant disease management.

This article discusses the history of plant pathology in Australia and its impact on food security. It highlights the challenges faced by Australian farmers, such as extreme weather variability and attacks by pests and pathogens. The article also explores the impact of plant diseases on Indigenous food systems and the importance of genetic diversity in preventing epidemics. It delves into the early history of plant pathology in Australia, including the appointment of the first plant pathologists and the development of training programs. The article acknowledges the flaws in the early plant pathology profession, including gender bias, racial prejudice, and interstate rivalry. It concludes by mentioning the diversity of crops and diseases covered in the special issue and the importance of Australia's plant quarantine system. [Extracted from the article]