Biocontrol Agents And Secondary Metabolites

Biocontrol and Secondary Metabolites: Applications and Immunization for Plant Growth and Protection covers established and updated research on emerging trends in plant defense signaling in, and during, stress phases. Other topics cover growth at interface as a sustainable way of life and the context of human welfare and conservation of fungi as a group of organisms. Further, the book explores induced systemic resistance using biocontrol agents and/or secondary metabolites as a milestone for sustainable agricultural production, thus providing opportunities for the minimization or elimination of the use of fungicides. Presents an overview on mechanisms by which plants protect themselves against herbivory and pathogenic microbes Identifies the use of immunization as a popular and effective alternative to chemical pesticides Explores how these fungi help crop plants in better uptake of soil nutrients, increase soil fertility, produce growth promoting substances, and secrete metabolites that act as bio-pesticides

Recent changes in the pattern of agricultural practices from use of hazardous pesticides to natural (organic) cultivation has brought into focus the use of agriculturally important microorganisms for carrying out analogous functions. The reputation of plant growth promoting rhizomicroorganisms (PGPRs) is due to their antagonistic mechanisms against most of the fungal and bacterial phytopathogens. The biocontrol potential of agriculturally important microorganisms is mostly attributed to their bioactive secondary metabolites. However, low shelf life of many potential agriculturally important microorganisms impairs their use in agriculture and adoption by farmers. The focal theme of this book is to highlight the potential of employing biosynthesized secondary metabolites (SMs) from agriculturally important microorganisms for management of notorious phytopathogens, as a substitute of the currently available whole organism formulations and also as alternatives to hazardous synthetic pesticides. Accordingly, we have incorporated a comprehensive rundown of sections which particularly examine the SMs synthesized, secreted and induced by various agriculturally important microorganisms and their applications in agriculture. Section 1 includes discussion on biosynthesized antimicrobial secondary metabolites from fungal biocontrol agents. This section will cover the various issues such as development of formulation of secondary metabolites, genomic basis of metabolic diversity, metabolomic profiling of fungal biocontrol agents, novel classes of antimicrobial peptides. The section 1 will also cover the role of these secondary metabolites in antagonist-host interaction and application of biosynthesized antimicrobial secondary metabolites for management of plant diseases. Section 2 will discuss the biosynthesized secondary metabolites from bacterial PGPRs, strain dependent effects on plant metabolome profile, bio-prospecting various isolates of bacterial PGPRs for potential secondary metabolites and non-target effects of PGPR on microbial community structure and functions. Section 3 encompasses synthesis of antimicrobial secondary metabolites from beneficial endophytes, bio-prospecting medicinal and aromatic hosts and effect of endophytic SMs on plants under biotic and biotic stress conditions.

This working document has been prepared to address the assessment of secondary metabolites of microbial biocontrol agents. The main focus of this working document is the assessment of the hazards and risk of secondary metabolites produced during the manufacturing of microbial pest control products and after their application in the field.

Microbiologists and soil scientists will find this study compelling reading. It focuses on the role of bacterial, fungal and plant secondary metabolites in soil ecosystems. Our understanding of the biological function of secondary metabolites is surprisingly limited, considering our knowledge of their structural diversity and pharmaceutical activity. This book reviews functional aspects of secondary metabolite production, with a focus on interactions among soil organisms.

Insects, pests and weeds are responsible for substantial loss of crops and reduced food supplies, poorer quality of agricultural products, economic hardship for growers and processor. Generally, chemical control methods are neither always economical nor are they effective and may have associated unwanted health, safety and environmental risks. Biological control involves use of beneficial biological agents to control pests and offers an environmental friendly approach to the effective management of plant diseases and weeds. The chapters are written by well recognized group leaders in the field. This book provides a comprehensive account of interaction of host and pests, and development of biological control agents for practical applications in crops management utilizing inherent defence mechanism, induced stimulation and biological control agents. The contents are divided into the following sections: General biology of plant defence, Use of natural compounds for biological control, Use of biological agents, Mechanism of action and Commercial aspects. The book will be useful for academicians, researcher and industries involved in study and manufacturing these products.

Mycotoxins are toxic secondary metabolites produced by fungi. They cause deleterious effects on humans, animals, and plants. More than one hundred mycotoxins are known which contaminate food and feed raw materials. Fungal infection and mycotoxin contamination can occur directly in fields (pre-harvest stage), during storage, or during industrial processing (post-harvest stage). Given the proven toxicity of mycotoxins and their widespread distribution, it is necessary to prevent their occurrence in food and feed. To limit mycotoxin contamination, several techniques can be adopted at the pre-harvest or post-harvest stages. These techniques can reduce mycotoxin concentration through fungal growth reduction or mechanisms leading to mycotoxin degradation or mycotoxin detoxification (i.e., reduction of the toxicity). Until very recently, fungicides were favored to limit mycotoxin contamination by reducing fungal growth. Nonetheless, the sanitary and environmental impacts of these products and their effects on food quality encourage the development of alternative strategies based on biocontrol agents (BCAs) or natural compounds. Moreover, in some cases, fungal growth reduction can stimulate mycotoxin production. The focus of this Special Issue of Toxins is to gather the most recent advances related to reducing mycotoxin contamination in food and feed using BCAs and natural compounds. In this context, two main types of approaches can be proposed: Preventive methods that could be applied in the field, during storage, or during industrial processing and curative methods that detoxify contaminated matrices by eliminating the produced mycotoxin.

Recent changes in the pattern of agricultural practices from use of hazardous pesticides to natural (organic) cultivation has brought into focus the use of agriculturally important microorganisms for carrying out analogous functions. The reputation of plant growth promoting rhizomicroorganisms (PGPRs) is due to their antagonistic mechanisms against most of the fungal and bacterial phytopathogens. The biocontrol potential of agriculturally important microorganisms is mostly attributed to their bioactive secondary metabolites. However, low shelf life of many potential agriculturally important microorganisms impairs their use in agriculture and adoption by farmers. The focal theme of this book is to highlight the potential of employing biosynthesized secondary metabolites (SMs) from agriculturally important microorganisms for management of notorious phytopathogens, as a substitute of the currently available whole organism formulations and also as alternatives to hazardous synthetic pesticides. Accordingly, we have incorporated a comprehensive rundown of sections which particularly examine the SMs synthesized, secreted and induced by various agriculturally important microorganisms and their applications in agriculture. Section 1 includes discussion on biosynthesized antimicrobial secondary metabolites from fungal biocontrol agents. This section will cover the various issues such as development of formulation of secondary metabolites, genomic basis of metabolic diversity, metabolomic profiling of fungal biocontrol agents, novel classes of antimicrobial peptides. The section 1 will also cover the role of these secondary metabolites in antagonist-host interaction and application of biosynthesized antimicrobial secondary metabolites for management of plant diseases. Section 2 will discuss the biosynthesized secondary metabolites from bacterial PGPRs, strain dependent effects on plant metabolome profile, bio-prospecting various isolates of bacterial PGPRs for potential secondary metabolites and non-target effects of PGPR on microbial community structure and functions. Section 3 encompasses synthesis of antimicrobial secondary metabolites from beneficial endophytes, bio-prospecting medicinal and aromatic hosts and effect of endophytic SMs on plants under biotic and biotic stress conditions.

This book provides insights into various aspects of medicinal plant-associated microbes, known to be a unique source of biological active compounds, including their biotechnological uses and their potential in pharmaceutical, agricultural and industrial applications. Featuring review papers and original research by leading experts in the field, it discusses medicinal plants and their interactions with the environment; medicinal plants as a source of biologically active compounds; medicinal plant-associated microbes (diversity and metabolites); their pharmaceutical, agricultural and industrial applications as well as their potential applications as plant growth stimulators and biocontrol agents. As such the book offers a valuable, up-to-date overview of the current research on medicinal plants, their ecology, biochemistry and associated biomes.