The Potential of Biological Agents in Controlling Diseases, Pests, and Improving the Growth of Forest and Fruit Trees
A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Health".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 August 2023) | Viewed by 1280
Special Issue Editor
Interests: biological control; biostimulants; bioactive compounds; natural enemies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Chemical pesticides have been widely used in forests to sustain wood resources and reduce landscape degradation. Due to the overuse of chemical pesticides over the past few decades, and their subsequent deleterious environmental consequences, the exploration of biological techniques for the management of tree diseases and pests is important. It is pivotal that future strategies of wood resource management incorporate the use of microbial agents and natural enemies to reduce the use of chemical protection products to mitigate emerging challenges such as pollution, pesticide resistance, and the potential toxicity of pesticides and pesticide residues in forest products. Among the several biocontrol techniques, microorganisms that are beneficial for tree growth and health are applied as biopesticides, microbial fertilizers, and biostimulants to control tree diseases and pests and to improve the wood yield and quality of forest products. These environmentally friendly biological agents have attracted significant attention as a sustainable solution for disease and pest management and for improving the growth and yield of trees. Natural enemies and parasitoids are also vital in maintaining pest populations below the threshold in specific environments. In addition, studies that add to scientific knowledge about natural products such as plant extracts or their combinations with other strategies of pest and disease management are also important in ameliorating the dangers associated with the misuse of synthetic chemicals in tree growth and management.
In this Special Issue, all aspects related to the biological control of pests and diseases, integrated pest and disease management, and plant growth promotion of forest trees (including fruit trees, medicinal, and ornamental plants) will be considered. The Special Issue will welcome studies involving the use of natural enemies, parasitoids, and microbial agents for the biocontrol of pests and diseases. In addition, studies involving the use of microbes in soil management, phytohormones, and induced systemic resistance and stress tolerance of trees against biotic and abiotic factors in greenhouse and field experiments are welcome for submission.
Prof. Dr. Young Sang Ahn
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- biocontrol of pests and diseases
- microbial metabolites and phytohormones/signaling molecules
- forest microbiome, biostimulants, and microbial fertilizers
- natural enemies, parasitoids, and natural/organic pesticides
- forest products/resources and fruit trees
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