Disease management through biological control agents: An eco-friendly and cost effective approach for sustainable agriculture-A Review

Abstract

Biological control is a mechanism in which the natural enemies to diminish the number of destructive organism, which could be in any form, small bacterium to large animals. This mechanism includes the use of predators, competitors, pathogens and compounds of biological origin. Plant pathogens are important factors that cause serious losses to agricultural products every year. Present review briefly focuses on the use of microorganisms as Biological Control Agents (BCAs) for reducing the plant diseases. These microorganisms can be act as both, less toxic and more flexible agent as compare to chemical pesticides. Biological controls lean to be highly specific and have different mode of action which includes, parasitism, predator, antibiosis, competition for site and nutrition, as well as by inducing the resistant in plants against pathogen, including Induced Systemic Resistance (ISR). However suitable management strategies are needed for the successful application of BCAs to sustainable agriculture.