Agrochemical disease control: The story so far

Fungicide chemistry has come a long way from its alchemic beginnings in the late 19th century to a high-tech science that supports the sustainable production of food, feed, and fiber for a rapidly growing population. This chapter describes the early history of agrochemical disease control and focuses then on the most important fungicide classes, all of which dominated a certain era in crop protection chemistry, first the sterol biosynthesis inhibiting morpholines and triazoles, then the complex III and complex II respiration inhibitors, always including the most important examples, their molecular targets and characteristic synthesis routes. Also important oomycetes-selective fungicides and resistance development are covered.