
Biocontrol Agents for Improved Agriculture
- 1st Edition - February 17, 2024
- Imprint: Academic Press
- Editors: Ajay Kumar, Muhammad Bilal, Gustavo Santoyo, Joginder Singh Panwar
- Language: English
- Paperback ISBN:9 7 8 - 0 - 4 4 3 - 1 5 1 9 9 - 6
- eBook ISBN:9 7 8 - 0 - 4 4 3 - 1 5 3 0 3 - 7
Biocontrol Agents for Improved Agriculture, a volume in the Plant and Soil Microbiome series, presents both an advanced and current description of the important role of plant an… Read more

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Request a sales quoteBiocontrol Agents for Improved Agriculture, a volume in the Plant and Soil Microbiome series, presents both an advanced and current description of the important role of plant and soil microbiome in plant disease management. Including the latest biotechnological interventions for harnessing plant and soil microbiome and their potential in controlling plant pathogen/ disease, as well as the commercialization of biocontrol products and exploration of microbial derived bioactive compounds, this book provides an important reference on the challenges of biocontrol products. Sections explore the bacterial and fungal species successfully applied as plant and soil inoculant for the effective management of plant diseases.
As these microbial biocontrol agents not only suppress the plant disease, but also enhance the growth or agricultural production in sustainable ways, the book focuses on the molecular aspect of plant- pathogen interactions and their biocontrol strategies via the use of plant and soil microbiome. This book is an important reference for those seeking sustainable, safe options for protecting against microbial agricultural loss and environmental damage.
- Presents emerging microbial biocontrol strategies for addressing plant pathogens
- Covers production and commercialization of biocontrol products
- Includes accessible, informative illustrations of current trends in microbial biotechnology
- Cover image
- Title page
- Table of Contents
- Copyright
- List of contributors
- Chapter 1. The expediency of fungi as biocontrol agents for the enhancement of food security
- Abstract
- 1.1 Introduction
- 1.2 Challenges to food security
- 1.3 Integrated pest and disease management strategies
- 1.4 Different approaches to mitigating pests and diseases
- 1.5 Detrimental effects of pesticide application on farm produce
- 1.6 Paradigm shift to biological approach for pest and disease management
- 1.7 Biological control
- 1.8 Benefits of biological controls
- 1.9 Advantages of biocontrol
- 1.10 The use of fungi as a biocontrol strategy
- 1.11 Efficacy of entomopathogenic fungi in managing pest invasion
- 1.12 Conclusions
- References
- Chapter 2. Plant growth-promoting microorganisms from native plants: an untapped resource of biocontrol and biofertilizer agents
- Abstract
- 2.1 Introduction
- 2.2 Microbial-mediated adaptations of native plants to adverse environmental conditions
- 2.3 Forest trees as reservoirs of BCAs
- 2.4 Plant growth-promoting microorganisms from native medicinal plants
- 2.5 BCAs from wild relatives of Solanaceae
- 2.6 PGPR from root nodules of native plants
- 2.7 Microorganisms isolated from the phyllosphere of native plants as potential BCAs
- 2.8 BCAs from native plants growing in arid areas
- 2.9 Plant growth-promoting microorganisms from plants colonizing contaminated sites
- 2.10 Endophytic fungi from native plants as a source of BCAs
- 2.11 Final considerations
- Acknowledgments
- References
- Chapter 3. Biological control of Plasmopara viticola: where are we now?
- Abstract
- 3.1 Agricultural relevance of Plasmopara viticola
- 3.2 Life cycle of Plasmopara viticola
- 3.3 Grapevine downy mildew management
- 3.4 Occurrence of fungicide resistance in Plasmopara viticola
- 3.5 New frontiers in the biological control of Plasmopara viticola
- 3.6 Lysobacter capsici AZ78, a promising candidate for the biocontrol of Plasmopara viticola
- 3.7 Conclusions and future perspectives
- References
- Chapter 4. Biological control of diseases in Theobroma cacao
- Abstract
- 4.1 Introduction
- 4.2 Moniliasis (frosty pod)
- 4.3 Black pod rot
- 4.4 Witches’ broom
- 4.5 Ceratocystis wilt
- 4.6 Anthracnose
- 4.7 Vascular streak dieback
- 4.8 Bacterial pathogens
- 4.9 Cacao swollen shoot
- 4.10 Control methods for cacao pathogens
- 4.11 Mechanisms in biological control
- 4.12 Biocontrol agents used for cacao diseases
- 4.13 Mycorrhiza
- 4.14 Actinobacteria
- 4.15 Conclusion
- Acknowledgments
- Funding
- References
- Chapter 5. Synergistic mechanisms between plant growth-promoting bacteria and Trichoderma to control plant diseases
- Abstract
- 5.1 Introduction
- 5.2 Pant growth-promoting bacteria and biocontrol traits of plant pathogens
- 5.3 What is Trichoderma and what are its mechanisms of biocontrol?
- 5.4 Cooperation between PGPR and Trichoderma to control plant diseases
- 5.5 Conclusions and perspectives
- References
- Chapter 6. Genomic mining for the identification of promising mechanisms of bioactivity in biological control agents
- Abstract
- 6.1 Introduction
- 6.2 Metabolites produced by biological control agents and their mechanisms of bioactivity
- 6.3 DNA sequencing tools
- 6.4 Bioinformatic tools for gene annotation
- 6.5 Mining genes encoding secondary metabolites
- 6.6 Examples of gene mining encoding biocontrol secondary metabolites
- 6.7 Conclusions and perspectives
- References
- Chapter 7. Production and commercialization of biocontrol products
- Abstract
- 7.1 Introduction
- 7.2 Development of biological control agents
- 7.3 Commercialization of biological control agents
- 7.4 Conclusion
- References
- Chapter 8. Study of Trichoderma microbial ecology and biotechnology
- Abstract
- 8.1 Introduction
- 8.2 What is Trichoderma?
- 8.3 What role does Trichoderma play in agriculture?
- 8.4 When to apply Trichoderma in a crop?
- 8.5 Why is Trichoderma used against the development of diseases?
- 8.6 What is the structure and function of the secondary metabolites of Trichoderma?
- 8.7 What other benefits involve the use of Trichoderma in crops?
- 8.8 Conclusions
- References
- Chapter 9. Formulation of microbial biocontrol agents—an industrial perspective
- Abstract
- 9.1 Introduction
- 9.2 Principles of Formulation
- 9.3 Conclusion and future aspect
- References
- Chapter 10. Endophytic microbiota in plant disease management
- Abstract
- 10.1 Introduction
- 10.2 Endophytes as biocontrol agents
- 10.3 Mechanism of disease suppression by endophytes
- 10.4 Conclusion
- References
- Further reading
- Chapter 11. Endophytic microorganisms as a source of bioactive compounds
- Abstract
- 11.1 Introduction
- 11.2 Endophytes
- 11.3 Establishment of endophytic bacteria inside the host plant
- 11.4 Methods of analysis of microbial endophytes
- 11.5 Endophytes as reservoir of bioactive compounds
- 11.6 Biological properties of endophytic bioactive compounds
- 11.7 Recent developments and challenges
- 11.8 Conclusion
- References
- Chapter 12. Plant growth-promoting bacteria in food security and plant disease management
- Abstract
- 12.1 Introduction
- 12.2 Food security
- 12.3 Plant growth-promoting bacteria
- 12.4 Plant growth-promoting bacteria’s role in plant growth improvement
- 12.5 Nitrogen fixation
- 12.6 Phosphate solubilization
- 12.7 Iron sequestration
- 12.8 Plant growth-promoting bacteria as biocontrol agents
- 12.9 Conclusion
- References
- Chapter 13. Bacterial strains used in postharvest management of fruits
- Abstract
- 13.1 Introduction
- 13.2 Major postharvest diseases
- 13.3 Postharvest technologies to keep disease-free commodities: conventional to modern approaches
- 13.4 Microbial antagonists for combating postharvest diseases
- 13.5 Conclusion and future prospects
- References
- Chapter 14. Application of bacterial volatiles in plant disease management
- Abstract
- 14.1 Introduction
- 14.2 Factors that influence volatile composition and procedures to extract the volatile organic compounds
- 14.3 Types of volatiles
- 14.4 Bacterial volatile organic compounds involved in promoting plant growth
- 14.5 Bacterial volatile organic compounds involved in regulating plant diseases
- 14.6 Conclusion
- 14.7 Future perspectives
- Acknowledgements
- References
- Chapter 15. CRISPR/Cas techniques used in plant disease management
- Abstract
- 15.1 Introduction
- 15.2 CRISPR/Cas system of genome editing
- 15.3 Strategies towards engineering plant resistance
- 15.4 Genome editing in plant disease resistance
- 15.5 Limitations of using CRISPR/Cas in plant disease management
- 15.6 Conclusion
- Acknowledgment
- References
- Chapter 16. The impact of climate change on plant diseases and food security
- Abstract
- 16.1 Introduction
- 16.2 Impact of climate change on plant disease
- 16.3 Impacts of climate change on food security
- 16.4 Conclusions
- References
- Chapter 17. Insect-plant-pathogens: toxicity, dependence, and defense dynamics
- Abstract
- 17.1 Introduction
- 17.2 Host plant defenses against herbivores
- 17.3 Direct defense of plants against herbivores
- 17.4 Indirect defenses against herbivores
- 17.5 Role of phytohormones in plant survival against microbial and insect attack
- 17.6 Adaptation of insects and pathogens against plant defense mechanisms
- 17.7 Conclusion and future prospects
- References
- Further reading
- Chapter 18. MicroRNAs in plant-insect interaction and insect pest control
- Abstract
- 18.1 Introduction
- 18.2 miRNA biogenesis
- 18.3 Mechanism of miRNA-mediated gene regulation
- 18.4 Plant miRNAs in response to entomophagy
- 18.5 Insect miRNAs targeting plant defence responses
- 18.6 Plant miRNAs targeting phytophagous insects
- 18.7 miRNAS in insect oral secretion affect plant induced defenses
- 18.8 Interactions of plant miRNAs with beneficial insects
- 18.9 miRNAs regulate phytohormone signaling during plant defense
- 18.10 Interaction between phytohormones and their fate in plant-insect interaction
- 18.11 miRNAs in insect pest control
- 18.12 Conclusion
- References
- Further reading
- Chapter 19. Ladybirds: biocontrol agents
- Abstract
- 19.1 Introduction
- 19.2 Color polymorphism in ladybirds
- 19.3 History of biocontrol
- 19.4 Life cycle of ladybirds
- 19.5 Feeding habits
- 19.6 Ladybird’s potential as biocontrol agent
- 19.7 Ladybirds in a predatory guild
- 19.8 Effect of abiotic factors
- 19.9 Use of ladybirds in classical biological control
- 19.10 Use of ladybirds in augmentative biological control
- 19.11 Impact of ladybirds on prey
- 19.12 Conclusions
- References
- Chapter 20. Endophytes: the treasure house of bioactive compounds with potential applications in sustainable agriculture and other sectors
- Abstract
- 20.1 Introduction
- 20.2 Endophytes—colonization and interactions with host plants
- 20.3 Natural bioactive compounds—chemical composition and classes
- 20.4 Potential applications of bioactive compounds
- 20.5 Challenges in the use of natural bioactive compounds and possible solution
- 20.6 Conclusion
- References
- Index
- Edition: 1
- Published: February 17, 2024
- No. of pages (Paperback): 552
- No. of pages (eBook): 425
- Imprint: Academic Press
- Language: English
- Paperback ISBN: 9780443151996
- eBook ISBN: 9780443153037
AK
Ajay Kumar
MB
Muhammad Bilal
GS
Gustavo Santoyo
JP