Mechanisms underlying the protective effects of beneficial fungi against plant diseases

Publication date: Available online 9 November 2017 Source:Biological Control Author(s): Mansour Ghorbanpour, Mahtab Omidvari, Payman Abbaszadeh-Dahaji, Reza Omidvar, Khalil Kariman Plant diseases are a serious threat to the health and functionality of both natural and man-made ecosystems. Diverse methods and strategies are being employed to prevent, ameliorate or control plant diseases. Unsustainable practices such as use and misuse of synthetic fungicides have caused severe harm to human health, wildlife and the environment. However, sustainable and eco-friendly approaches such as use of beneficial fungi have gained significant attention worldwide due to their remarkable antagonistic properties against plant pathogens and copious successful applications. Trichoderma species, arbuscular mycorrhizas, ectomycorrhizas, endophytes, yeasts, and avirulent/hypovirulent strains of certain pathogens are among the main beneficial fungi with biocontrol capacity, some of which have been mass-produced and extensively applied. Understanding the mechanisms linked with the protective effects of beneficial fungi are essential for achieving favorable outcomes and development of novel strategies. The biocontrol properties of beneficial fungi can be categorized into five classes: i) competing with pathogens for space and nutrients, ii) mycoparasitism, iii) antibiosis, iv) mycovirus-mediated cross protection (MMCP), and v) induced systemic resistance (ISR). Bearing in mind the technical ad...
Source: Biological Control - Category: Biology Source Type: research