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Biological Control of Plant Diseases —Volume II
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Biological Control of Plant Diseases —Volume II

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Protection and Biotic Interactions".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 16437

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Antonella Vitti

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Guest Editor
School of Agricultural, Forestry, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Basilicata, Viale dell’Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy
Interests: molecular plant virology; viral vectors; biotic and abiotic stresses; plant disease; plant disease resistance; plant growth and development; plant biostimulant; sustainable production
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Sabrina Sarrocco

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Guest Editor
Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
Interests: plant pathogenic fungi; mycotoxigenic fungi; biocontrol fungi; fungal ecology; fungal secondary metabolites; fungal genome editing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Changes in climatic conditions can severely impact crop production and plant defense mechanisms at a worldwide level. In fact, alterations in plant growth and physiology can occur, thus increasing the risk of illness, particularly through abiotic stress, but also biotic stress due to the modified host–pathogen interactions. Although many plants have developed resilience or tolerance to such stresses, they often cause serious losses, and in some cases, they become the limiting factor of production in both open-field and greenhouse cultivation systems. In such a scenario, it is necessary to introduce new strategies for controlling plant diseases in order to help maintain ecosystems and to boost sustainable agriculture defense practices.

Among microorganisms that inhabit soils, some species of bacteria and fungi are effective as biocontrol agents (BCAs). They are able to reduce the growth of plant pathogens via several mechanisms, such as antibiosis, competition, cross-protection, and parasitism. They also induce different defense responses in host plants, such as systemic acquired resistance (SAR) and/or induced systemic resistance (ISR).

Furthermore, some BCAs determine a higher tolerance of the plants against abiotic stresses due to their action in promoting plant growth and development, synergetic or antagonistic interactions between plant hormones, and antioxidant defense mechanisms. At the same time, the resulting BCAs are highly specific to a certain pathogen and hence are advantageously safe for non-target species.

The knowledge of how BCAs cross-talk and interact with the host plant and how they work to control diseases is constantly developing, thanks to new tools such as “omics” and genome editing approaches.

In this regard, this Special Issue aims to offer the opportunity for a challenge in sustainable agriculture, providing an up-to-date overview of the actual breakthroughs in the use of biological control of plant diseases against pathogens, parasites, and abiotic stressors. Experts and researchers are invited to contribute with original research, short communications, reviews, hypotheses, opinions, and perspectives on all topics related to biological control of plant diseases.

Dr. Antonella Vitti
Dr. Sabrina Sarrocco
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • biological control
  • plant diseases
  • biotic and abiotic stress
  • microorganisms
  • biocontrol agent (BCA)
  • sustainable agriculture

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 2608 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Tomato Germplasm against Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus and Identification of Resistance in Solanum pimpinellifolium
by Namrata Jaiswal, Bidisha Chanda, Andrea Gilliard, Ainong Shi and Kai-Shu Ling
Plants 2024, 13(5), 581; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13050581 - 21 Feb 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2469
Abstract
The tomato is one of the most important vegetable crops grown worldwide. Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV), a seed-borne tobamovirus, poses a serious threat to tomato production due to its ability to break the resistant genes (Tm-1, Tm-2, Tm-2 [...] Read more.
The tomato is one of the most important vegetable crops grown worldwide. Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV), a seed-borne tobamovirus, poses a serious threat to tomato production due to its ability to break the resistant genes (Tm-1, Tm-2, Tm-22) in tomatoes. The objective of this work was to identify new resistant source(s) of tomato germplasm against ToBRFV. To achieve this aim, a total of 476 accessions from 12 Solanum species were tested with the ToBRFV US isolate for their resistance and susceptibility. As a result, a total of 44 asymptomatic accessions were identified as resistant/tolerant, including thirty-one accessions of S. pimpinellifolium, one accession of S. corneliomulleri, four accessions of S. habrochaites, three accessions of S. peruvianum, and five accessions of S. subsection lycopersicon hybrid. Further analyses using serological tests identified four highly resistant S. pimpinellifolium lines, PI 390713, PI 390714, PI 390716, and PI 390717. The inheritance of resistance in the selected lines was verified in the next generation and confirmed using RT-qPCR. To our knowledge, this is a first report of high resistance to ToBRFV in S. pimpinellifolium. These new genetic resources will expand the genetic pool available for breeders to develop new resistant cultivars of tomato against ToBRFV. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological Control of Plant Diseases —Volume II)
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17 pages, 1558 KiB  
Article
Use of Pseudomonas protegens to Control Root Rot Disease Caused by Boeremia exigua var. exigua in Industrial Chicory (Cichorium intybus var. sativum Bisch.)
by Tamara Quezada-D’Angelo, Juan San Martín, Braulio Ruiz, Pía Oyarzúa, Marisol Vargas, Susana Fischer, Pamela Cortés, Patricio Astete and Ernesto Moya-Elizondo
Plants 2024, 13(2), 263; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13020263 - 17 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1989
Abstract
Boeremia exigua var. exigua is a recurrent pathogen causing root rot in industrial chicory. Currently, there is no chemical or varietal control for this disease, and thus, management strategies need to be developed. This study determined the biocontrol effect of strains of Pseudomonas [...] Read more.
Boeremia exigua var. exigua is a recurrent pathogen causing root rot in industrial chicory. Currently, there is no chemical or varietal control for this disease, and thus, management strategies need to be developed. This study determined the biocontrol effect of strains of Pseudomonas protegens bacteria with antimicrobial compounds on the fungus B. exigua var. exigua under in vitro, in vivo, and field conditions. In addition, root colonization by these bacteria was estimated by the phlD-specific PCR-based dilution end point assay. Eighteen isolates of Pseudomonas spp were evaluated, and the strains that showed the greatest in vitro inhibition of fungal mycelial growth (mm), Ca10A and ChB7, were selected. Inoculation with the strain ChB7 showed less severity (necrotic area) under in vivo conditions (root trials) compared with the control inoculated with the pathogen (p ≤ 0.05). The molecular analysis revealed that the root colonization of plants grown in pots was equal to or greater than 70%. Similar levels were observed in the field trials conducted at the Selva Negra and Canteras experimental stations (2015–2016 season), with values ranging from 85.7 to 70.5% and from 75.0 to 79.5%, respectively. Regarding yield (ton ha−1), values were higher in the treatments inoculated with strains Ca10A and ChB7 (p ≤ 0.05) at both experimental sites, while a lower incidence and severity of root rot were observed at Selva Negra. These results suggest that the Chilean strains of P. protegens are a promising tool for the control of root diseases in industrial chicory. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological Control of Plant Diseases —Volume II)
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13 pages, 1347 KiB  
Article
Fighting Tomato Fungal Diseases with a Biocontrol Product Based on Amoeba Lysate
by Sandrine Troussieux, Annabelle Gilgen and Jean-Luc Souche
Plants 2023, 12(20), 3603; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12203603 - 18 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1923
Abstract
New solutions to reduce the use of chemical pesticides to combat plant diseases and to meet societal and political demands are needed to achieve sustainable agriculture. Tomato production, both in greenhouses and in open fields, is affected by numerous pathogens. The aim of [...] Read more.
New solutions to reduce the use of chemical pesticides to combat plant diseases and to meet societal and political demands are needed to achieve sustainable agriculture. Tomato production, both in greenhouses and in open fields, is affected by numerous pathogens. The aim of this study is to assess the possibility of controlling both late blight and powdery mildew in tomatoes with a single biocontrol product currently under registration. The biocontrol product AXP12, based on the lysate of Willaertia magna C2c Maky, has already proved its efficacy against downy mildew of grapevine and potato late blight. Its ability to elicit tomato defenses and its efficacy in the greenhouse and in the field were tested. This study establishes that AXP12 stimulates the tomato genes involved in plant defense pathways and has the capacity to combat in greenhouse and field both late blight (Phytophtora infestans) and powdery mildew (Oidium neolycopersici and Leveillula taurica) of tomato. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological Control of Plant Diseases —Volume II)
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12 pages, 3117 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Trichoderma spp. on Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. asparagi and Fusarium wilt Control in Asparagus Crop
by Alexandri María Brizuela, Laura Gálvez, Juan Manuel Arroyo, Silvia Sánchez and Daniel Palmero
Plants 2023, 12(15), 2846; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12152846 - 1 Aug 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2058
Abstract
Among the key diseases affecting the asparagus crop (Asparagus officinalis L.), vascular wilting of asparagus caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. asparagi stands out worldwide. This disease significantly shortens the longevity of the crop and limits economic production. Traditional control measures have [...] Read more.
Among the key diseases affecting the asparagus crop (Asparagus officinalis L.), vascular wilting of asparagus caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. asparagi stands out worldwide. This disease significantly shortens the longevity of the crop and limits economic production. Traditional control measures have been largely ineffective, and chemical control methods are difficult to apply, making biological control approaches, specifically the use of Trichoderma, an economical, effective, and risk-free alternative. This study aimed to identify the main factors that affect the efficacy of biopesticides studied as Biological Control Agents (BCAs) against Fusarium wilt in asparagus and to assess the efficacy of Trichoderma-based biopesticides under greenhouse and semi-field conditions. We evaluated the response of three Trichoderma spp. (T. atroviride, T. asperellum, and T. saturnisporum) to environmental variables, such as temperature and water activity, and their antagonistic capacity against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. asparagi. All three Trichoderma species inhibited the growth of the pathogen in vitro. A decrease in water activity led to a greater reduction in the growth rate. The efficacy of the three biological control agents decreased with higher temperatures, resulting in minimal inhibition, particularly under conditions of restricted available water in the environment. The effect of the fungal inoculum density was also analyzed at two different temperatures. A direct correlation between the amount of inoculum and the score on the Disease Severity Index (DSI) was observed. A notable reduction in DSI was evident in treatments with high inoculum density (106 conidium/mL) for all three species of Trichoderma tested at both temperatures. In greenhouse and semi-field tests, we observed less disease control than expected, although T. asperellum and T. atroviride showed lower disease severity indices and increased the dry weight of seedlings and crowns, whereas T. saturnisporum resulted in the highest disease rate and lowest dry weight. This work highlights that the efficacy of Trichoderma as BCAs is influenced by various factors, including the quantity of soil inocula, and environmental conditions. The study findings have strong implications for selecting appropriate Trichoderma species for controlling specific pathogens under specific environmental conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological Control of Plant Diseases —Volume II)
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17 pages, 3575 KiB  
Article
Nanocapsules of ZnO Nanorods and Geraniol as a Novel Mean for the Effective Control of Botrytis cinerea in Tomato and Cucumber Plants
by Panagiota Tryfon, Nathalie N. Kamou, Akrivi Pavlou, Stefanos Mourdikoudis, Urania Menkissoglu-Spiroudi and Catherine Dendrinou-Samara
Plants 2023, 12(5), 1074; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12051074 - 28 Feb 2023
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2337
Abstract
Inorganic-based nanoparticle formulations of bioactive compounds are a promising nanoscale application that allow agrochemicals to be entrapped and/or encapsulated, enabling gradual and targeted delivery of their active ingredients. In this context, hydrophobic ZnO@OAm nanorods (NRs) were firstly synthesized and characterized via physicochemical techniques [...] Read more.
Inorganic-based nanoparticle formulations of bioactive compounds are a promising nanoscale application that allow agrochemicals to be entrapped and/or encapsulated, enabling gradual and targeted delivery of their active ingredients. In this context, hydrophobic ZnO@OAm nanorods (NRs) were firstly synthesized and characterized via physicochemical techniques and then encapsulated within the biodegradable and biocompatible sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), either separately (ZnO NCs) or in combination with geraniol in the effective ratios of 1:1 (ZnOGer1 NCs), 1:2 (ZnOGer2 NCs), and 1:3 (ZnOGer2 NCs), respectively. The mean hydrodynamic size, polydispersity index (PDI), and ζ-potential of the nanocapsules were determined at different pH values. The efficiency of encapsulation (EE, %) and loading capacity (LC, %) of NCs were also determined. Pharmacokinetics of ZnOGer1 NCs and ZnOGer2 NCs showed a sustainable release profile of geraniol over 96 h and a higher stability at 25 ± 0.5 °C rather than at 35 ± 0.5 °C. ZnOGer1 NCs, ZnOGer2 NCs and ZnO NCs were evaluated in vitro against B. cinerea, and EC50 values were calculated at 176 μg/mL, 150 μg/mL, and > 500 μg/mL, respectively. Subsequently, ZnOGer1 NCs and ZnOGer2 NCs were tested by foliar application on B. cinerea-inoculated tomato and cucumber plants, showing a significant reduction of disease severity. The foliar application of both NCs resulted in more effective inhibition of the pathogen in the infected cucumber plants as compared to the treatment with the chemical fungicide Luna Sensation SC. In contrast, tomato plants treated with ZnOGer2 NCs demonstrated a better inhibition of the disease as compared to the treatment with ZnOGer1 NCs and Luna. None of the treatments caused phytotoxic effects. These results support the potential for the use of the specific NCs as plant protection agents against B. cinerea in agriculture as an effective alternative to synthetic fungicides. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological Control of Plant Diseases —Volume II)
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Review

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21 pages, 1041 KiB  
Review
Holistic Approaches to Plant Stress Alleviation: A Comprehensive Review of the Role of Organic Compounds and Beneficial Bacteria in Promoting Growth and Health
by Sandamali Harshani Kumari Hathurusinghe, Ugur Azizoglu and Jae-Ho Shin
Plants 2024, 13(5), 695; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13050695 - 29 Feb 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1927
Abstract
Plants select microorganisms from the surrounding bulk soil, which act as a reservoir of microbial diversity and enrich a rhizosphere microbiome that helps in growth and stress alleviation. Plants use organic compounds that are released through root exudates to shape the rhizosphere microbiome. [...] Read more.
Plants select microorganisms from the surrounding bulk soil, which act as a reservoir of microbial diversity and enrich a rhizosphere microbiome that helps in growth and stress alleviation. Plants use organic compounds that are released through root exudates to shape the rhizosphere microbiome. These organic compounds are of various spectrums and technically gear the interplay between plants and the microbial world. Although plants naturally produce organic compounds that influence the microbial world, numerous efforts have been made to boost the efficiency of the microbiome through the addition of organic compounds. Despite further crucial investigations, synergistic effects from organic compounds and beneficial bacteria combinations have been reported. In this review, we examine the relationship between organic compounds and beneficial bacteria in determining plant growth and biotic and abiotic stress alleviation. We investigate the molecular mechanism and biochemical responses of bacteria to organic compounds, and we discuss the plant growth modifications and stress alleviation done with the help of beneficial bacteria. We then exhibit the synergistic effects of both components to highlight future research directions to dwell on how microbial engineering and metagenomic approaches could be utilized to enhance the use of beneficial microbes and organic compounds. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological Control of Plant Diseases —Volume II)
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23 pages, 1020 KiB  
Review
Are Basic Substances a Key to Sustainable Pest and Disease Management in Agriculture? An Open Field Perspective
by Silvia Laura Toffolatti, Yann Davillerd, Ilaria D’Isita, Chiara Facchinelli, Giacinto Salvatore Germinara, Antonio Ippolito, Youssef Khamis, Jolanta Kowalska, Giuliana Maddalena, Patrice Marchand, Demetrio Marcianò, Kata Mihály, Annamaria Mincuzzi, Nicola Mori, Simone Piancatelli, Erzsébet Sándor and Gianfranco Romanazzi
Plants 2023, 12(17), 3152; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12173152 - 1 Sep 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2967
Abstract
Pathogens and pests constantly challenge food security and safety worldwide. The use of plant protection products to manage them raises concerns related to human health, the environment, and economic costs. Basic substances are active, non-toxic compounds that are not predominantly used as plant [...] Read more.
Pathogens and pests constantly challenge food security and safety worldwide. The use of plant protection products to manage them raises concerns related to human health, the environment, and economic costs. Basic substances are active, non-toxic compounds that are not predominantly used as plant protection products but hold potential in crop protection. Basic substances’ attention is rising due to their safety and cost-effectiveness. However, data on their protection levels in crop protection strategies are lacking. In this review, we critically analyzed the literature concerning the field application of known and potential basic substances for managing diseases and pests, investigating their efficacy and potential integration into plant protection programs. Case studies related to grapevine, potato, and fruit protection from pre- and post-harvest diseases and pests were considered. In specific cases, basic substances and chitosan in particular, could complement or even substitute plant protection products, either chemicals or biologicals, but their efficacy varied greatly according to various factors, including the origin of the substance, the crop, the pathogen or pest, and the timing and method of application. Therefore, a careful evaluation of the field application is needed to promote the successful use of basic substances in sustainable pest management strategies in specific contexts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological Control of Plant Diseases —Volume II)
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