Pest Control: Fungi, Streptomycetes, and Yeasts

Plant diseases continue to challenge our global agricultural production systems resulting in an average of 13% annual yield loss despite our best efforts to manage them with fungicides, resistant cultivars, and a variety of agronomic practices. About forty years ago the concepts of biological control were first developed. Interest in the development of “nature’s own products” or biological control as an alternative management practice for fungal disease control resulted from the development of resistance to fungicides, the introduction of legislation restricting pesticide use, and global concerns for human health and environmental safety. Fungi, streptomycetes, and yeasts are the most abundant naturally-occurring, microscopic organisms found on plants and in soil. Strains of these microorganisms, such as AQ10, MycoStop, and Aspire have demonstrated an ability to protect some crops from plant diseases using an integrated approach combining a biological control product with traditional disease management practices. This chapter discusses the nature of crop losses experienced throughout the world due to fungal diseases, the traditional methods employed for disease control, the evolution of biological control concepts, and the emerging role of fungi, streptomycetes, and yeasts in crop protection.