**3. Conclusion**

The review and our study on the diseases of medicinal plants cultivated in Karnataka endorsed the fact that the medicinal plants are not free from diseases. Among the medicinal plants cultivated in Karnataka maximum of 12 diseases are reported in *H. rosa-sinensis* followed by 10 diseases each in *M. citrifolia* and *O. sanctum*, 7 diseases each in *A. vasica* and *T. divaricate/T. coronaria*, 5 diseases each in *C. borivilianum* and *M. pruriens*, 4 diseases in *P. longum*, and 3 diseases each in *A. calamus* and *G. sylvestre*. It includes 12 diseases that were recorded for the first time in Karnataka and 5 diseases recorded for the first time on the respective host plant. Since medicinal plants are for human consumption and animal welfare the usage of chemical pesticides for the management of diseases should be strictly avoided. The option of the extraction and purification of the secondary metabolites produced by the fungal antagonists for their biocontrol activities against fungal diseases to be explored. The genes conferring to antagonistic effect toward the pathogen could be genetically engineered into medicinal plants thereby producing resistant varieties or transgenic plants that are resistant to diseases. The biocontrol agent *T. virens* can be scaled-up for talc-based formulations and mass production of fungal bio pesticides for controlling fungal diseases of medicinal plants. All such efforts will pave way to produce medicinal plants in a more sustainable eco-friendly way and will prove to be beneficial not only to the producers but also to the consumers.

*Medicinal Plants*
