Microbiome, Probiotics & Gut Nutrition

Bacterial selection for Biological control of plant disease

As agricultural production intensified over the past few decades, producers became more and more dependent on agrochemicals as a relatively reliable method of crop protection helping with economic stability of their operations. However, increasing use of chemical inputs causes several negative effects, i.e., development of pathogen resistance to the applied agents and their nontarget environmental impact. Furthermore, the growing cost of pesticides, particularly in less-affluent regions of the world, and consumer demand for pesticide-free food has led to a search for substitutes for these products. Biological control is thus being considered as an alternative or a supplemental way of reducing the use of chemicals in agriculture. There has been a large body of literature describing potential uses of plant-associated bacteria as agents stimulating plant growth and managing soil and plant health, the most widely studied group of PGPB are PGPR colonizing the root surfaces and the closely adhering soil interface, the rhizosphere, some of these PGPR can also enter root interior and establish endophytic populations. Many of them are able to transcend the endodermis barrier, crossing from the root cortex to the vascular system, and subsequently thrive as endophytes in stem, leaves, tubers, and other organs, PGPB, PGPR have provided a greater understanding of the multiple facets of disease suppression by these bio control agents.