Rhizobia promote the growth of plants either directly through N2 fixation, supply of nutrients, synthesis of phytohormones and solubilization of minerals, or indirectly as a biocontrol agent by inhibiting the growth of pathogens. The biocontrol effect of rhizobia is due to the secretion of secondary metabolites such as antibiotics and HCN. Siderophore production in iron stress conditions provid...

Forty-three bacteria were isolated from the phylloplane and (or) rhizosphere of potato and canola plants and tested for their ability to control the pathogen Phytophthora infestans (strain US-8) causing late blight on potato. This study revealed the benefit of using more than one system when searching for biocontrol activity. In this regard, the complementarity of the three systems chosen (in-v...

The future of sustainable agriculture will increasingly rely on the integration of biotechnology with traditional agricultural practices. Most sustainable and environmentally acceptable control may be achieved using biocontrol agents due to the effort to reduce the use of agrochemicals and their residues in the environment and in food. Identifying, understanding and utilizing microorganisms or ...

Biocontrol Science and Technology Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title~content=t713409232 Effect of storage conditions on the survival of two potential biocontrol agents of nematodes, the fungi Paecilomyces lilacinus and Pochonia chlamydosporia Weijun Duan ab; Ence Yang ab; Meichun Xiang a; Xingzhong Liu a a...

Viable biomass production is a key determinant of suitability of antagonistic yeasts as potential biocontrol agents. This study investigated the effects of three metal ions (magnesium, ferrous, and zinc) on biomass production and viability of the antagonistic yeast, Candida diversa. Using response surface methodology to optimize medium components, a maximum biomass was obtained, when the collec...

The growing demand for reducing chemical inputs in agriculture and increased resistance to insecticides have provided great impetus to the development of alternative forms of insect-pest control. Myco-biocontrol offers an attractive alternative to the use of chemical pesticides. Myco-biocontrol agents are naturally occurring organisms which are perceived as less damaging to the environment. The...

The genus Trichoderma comprises a great number of fungal strains that act as biological control agents, the antagonistic properties of which are based on the activation of multiple mechanisms. Trichoderma strains exert biocontrol against fungal phytopathogens either indirectly, by competing for nutrients and space, modifying the environmental conditions, or promoting plant growth and plant defe...

Invasive pests impose a major burden on the agricultural industries and the natural environment, threatening some native species with extinction. Although chemical agents are often deployed to eliminate pests, unspecific toxicity makes their use undesirable. Biological agents are of interest as an alternative method to cull specific pest species with little residual environmental harm. The deli...

The development of an effective approach to control and eradication of invasive species has become a major challenge to scientists, managers, and society. Biocontrol has been widely utilized to control exotic plants in the past few decades with some degree of success. However, there have been an increasing number of controversies pertaining to this approach, largely due to the potential environ...

Biological invaders have long been hypothesized to exhibit the fast end of the life-history spectrum, with early reproduction and a short lifespan. Here, we examine the rapid evolution of life history within the harlequin ladybird Harmonia axyridis. The species, once used as a biological control agent, is now a worldwide invader. We show that biocontrol populations have evolved a classic fast l...