Biological control of

PLANT DISEASES
Overview
What is biological control, what are the
benefits to its use

Mechanism of biological control

Requirements of successful biocontrol

Working example of biocontrol
Concept of biological
control
Idea was first developed by
entomologists as natural control of insect
population the action of parasites,
predators or pathogens in maintaining
harmful insect population density at a lower
average than would occur in their absence.
Later terms like biological methods,
parasitic control, natural control etc. have
been used for this type of control.
What is biological
control?
First coined by Harry Smith in relation to
the biological control of insects
Suppression of insect populations by
native or introduced enemies
Generic terms
A population-leveling process in which
the population of one species lowers the
number of another

Definitions
Any condition under which or practice whereby
survival or activity of a pathogen is reduced
through the agency of any other living organism
(except man himself) with the result that there is a
reduction in the incidence of the disease caused
by the pathogen - Garret (1965)

Reduction of inoculum density or disease
producing activities of a pathogen or parasite in
its active or dormant state, by one or more
organisms, accomplished naturally or through
manipulation of the environment, host, or
antagonist, or by mass introduction of one or
more antagonists Baker and Cook (1974)
Other definitions
Use of microbial antagonists to suppress diseases
as well as the use of host-specific pathogens to
control weed populations.
Use of natural or modified organisms, genes, or
gene products, to reduce the effects of
undesirable organisms and to favour desirable
organisms such as crops, beneficial insects, and
microorganisms.
The suppression of damaging activities of one
organism by one or more other organisms, often
referred to as natural enemies.
The exploitation by humans of the natural
competition, parasitism and/or antagonism of
organisms for management of pests and
pathogens





More specific definitions
The purposeful utilization of introduced or resident
living organisms, other than disease resistant host
plants, to suppress the activities and populations of
one or more plant pathogens.

The suppression of a single pathogen (or pest), by a
single antagonist, in a single cropping system.

Biological control is the total or partial destruction of
pathogen populations by other organisms.

The exploitation by humans of the natural
competition, parasitism and/or antagonism of
organisms for management of pests and pathogens.

Related Terms
Ecology- the study of the interactions that occur between
individual organisms, groups of organisms and organisms
and their environment
Ecosystem- a community of living things and their
environment
Biodiversity
the existing genetic variability among living organisms
Antagonism
a general term for interference between organisms that
may include antibiosis or competition for nutrients or
space (contrasts with synergism)
Symbiosis (adj. symbiotic; n. symbiont)
the living together of two different kinds of organisms that
may, but does not necessarily, benefit each organism



Antibiosis
an association between organisms, or between an organism
and a metabolic product of another organism, that is harmful
to one of them
Antibiotic
a chemical compound produced by one microorganism that
inhibits growth or kills other living organisms
Bacteriocin
a protein antibiotic, one or more types of which can be
produced and excreted by certain strains of bacteria
Bacteriophage
a virus that infects a bacterium



Related Terms
Mycorrhiza (pl. mycorrhizae; adj. mycorrhizal)
a symbiotic association between a nonpathogenic or weakly pathogenic
fungus and the roots of plants.
Ectomycorrhiza (pl. ectomycorrhizae)
a symbiotic association between a nonpathogenic or weakly pathogenic
fungus and the roots of plants with fungal hyphae between and external to
root cells. (contrasts with arbuscular mycorrhiza, endomycorrhiza)
Endomycorrhiza (pl. endomycorrhizae)
a symbiotic association between a nonpathogenic or weakly pathogenic
fungus and the roots of plants in which fungal hyphae invade cortical
cells of the root.
Arbuscular mycorrhiza (acronym AM)
a symbiotic association between a nonpathogenic or weakly pathogenic
fungus and the roots of plants in which fungal hyphae invade cortical
cells of the root and produce vesicles and arbuscles.
Arbuscule (adj. arbuscular)
a branched haustorial structure of certain endomycorrhizal fungi that
forms within living cells of the root.
Related Terms
Endophyte - a plant developing inside another organism;
also used for endoparasitic fungi found in grass species
Fungistasis - the inhibition of fungal growth, sporulation,
or spore germination but not death;
used to describe the nonspecific phenomenon in natural soils
where spore germination is inhibited and often overcome by
rhizosphere nutrients
Hyperparasite- an organism that is parasitic upon another
parasite
Hypovirulence- the reduced ability to cause disease
Mycoparasite- a fungus that attacks another fungus
Mycovirus- a virus that infects fungi


Related Terms
Induced systemic resistance (acronym ISR)
the reduced disease symptoms on a portion of a plant
distant from the area where the inducing agent is active,
caused by the triggering of active plant defenses against a
variety of pathogens; used to describe increased
resistance in plants induced by certain rhizobacteria
(acronymn SAR-systemic acquired resistance)
Mycoherbicide
a pathogenic fungus used as a biological control agent to
manage weeds or other undesirable plants
Mycotoxin
a poisonous compound produced by a fungus


Related Terms
Pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins
the proteins, such as antimicrobial proteins and
hydrolytic enzymes, that are synthesized in the early
events of the plant defense response
Rhizosphere-competent
used to describe microorganisms adapted to living in
the rhizosphere of a plant
Suppressive soil
a soil in which various diseases are naturally at lower
levels than expected due to biological factors in the soil;
an example of natural biological control




Related Terms
Importance of Biological
Control
Control of plant diseases is required to maintain
quality and abundance of food, feed and fiber
For this growers mostly rely on chemicals for
last 100 years
Excessive use of agrochemicals caused
environmental pollution, health hazards etc.
Appearance of resistant strains of pathogens to
chemical fungicides and antibiotics
Biological control provides an alternative and if
effective is more stable

Why use biological
control?
WHEN :
Biological control agents are
Expensive
Labor intensive
Host specific
WHILE :
Chemical pesticides are:
cost-effective
easy to apply
Broad spectrum








Why use biological
control?
WILL:
Chemical pesticides
Implicated in ecological, environmental, and human health
problems
Require yearly treatments
Broad spectrum
Toxic to both beneficial and pathogenic species
BUT:
Biological control agents
Non-toxic to human
Not a water contaminant concern
Once colonized may last for years
Host specific
Only effect one or few species

Mechanisms of biological control
of plant pathogens
Antibiosis inhibition of one organism by
another as a result of diffusion of an
antibiotic
Antibiotic production common in soil-dwelling
bacteria and fungi
Example: zwittermicin A production by B.
cereus against Phytophthora root rot in alfalfa
Mechanisms of biological
control of plant pathogens
Nutrient competition competition
between microorganisms for carbon,
nitrogen, O2, iron, and other nutrients
Most common way organisms limit growth of
others
Example
P. fluorescens, VITCUS, prevents bacterial blotch
by competing with P. tolaasii


Mechanisms of biological
control of plant pathogens
Destructive mycoparasitism the
parasitism of one fungus by another
Direct contact
Cell wall degrading enzymes
Some produce antibiotics
Example
Trichoderma harzianum, BioTrek, used as seed
treatment against pathogenic fungus
Requirements of
successful biocontrol
1. Highly effective biocontrol strain must be
obtained or produced
a. Be able to compete and persist
b. Be able to colonize and proliferate
c. Be non-pathogenic to host plant and
environment


Requirements of
successful biocontrol
2. Inexpensive production and formulation
of agent must be developed
a. Production must result in biomass with
excellent shelf live
b. To be successful as agricultural agent must
be
i. Inexpensive
ii. Able to produce in large quantities
iii. Maintain viability

Requirements of
successful biocontrol
3. Delivery and application must permit full
expression of the agent
a. Must ensure agents will grow and achieve
their purpose

Coiling of Trichoderma around a pathogen.
(Plant Biocontrol by Trichoderma spp. Ilan
Chet, Ada Viterbo and Yariv Brotman)
Plant pathogen control by
Trichoderma spp.
Trichoderma spp. are present in nearly all
agricultural soils
Antifungal abilities have been known since
1930s
Mycoparasitism
Nutrient competition
Agriculturally used as biocontrol agent
and as a plant growth promoter


http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2002/021231.trichoderma.jpg
Plant pathogen control by
Trichoderma spp.
Why buy/develop a product that is
readily available in the soil?
Plant pathogen control by
Trichoderma spp.
Genetic Modification
Wild strains
Heterokaryotic contain nuclei of dissimilar
genotypes within a single organism

Biocontrol strains
Homokaryotic contain nuclei which are similar or
identical
Allows genetic distinction and non-variability
IMPORTANT FOR QUALITY CONTROL

Plant pathogen control by
Trichoderma spp.
Most strains have innate resistance to
some agricultural chemicals
Resistance is variable

Strains available for commercial use are
selected or modified for resistance to
specific chemicals

Plant pathogen control by
Trichoderma spp.
How is it applied?
Favored by presence of high levels of
plant roots
Some are highly rhizosphere competent
Capable of colonizing the expanding root
surface
Can be used as soil or seed treatment


http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/ent/biocontro
l/pathogens/images/trichoderma3.jpg
Plant pathogen control by
Trichoderma spp.
Action against pathogenic fungi

1. Attachment to the host
hyphae by coiling
a. Lectin-carbohydrate
interaction
(Hubbard et al., 1983. Phytopathology 73:655-659).

Plant pathogen control by
Trichoderma spp.
Action against pathogenic fungi
2. Penetrate the host cell walls by
secreting lytic enzymes
a. Chitinases
b. Proteases
c. Glucanases





(Ilan Chet, Hebrew University of Jerusalem).
Plant pathogen control by
Trichoderma spp.
Some strains colonize the root with
mycoparasitic properties
Penetrate the root tissue
Induce metabolic changes which induce
resistance
Accumulation of antimicrobial compounds
Plant pathogen control
by Trichoderma spp.
Commercial availability
T-22
Seed coating, seed pieces, transplant starter
Protects roots from diseases caused by Pythium,
Rhizoctonia and Fusarium
Interacts with the Rhizosphere, near the root hairs
and increases the available form of nutrients
needed by plants.
Plant pathogen control by
Trichoderma spp.
Future developments
Transgenes
Biocontrol microbes contain a large number of
genes which allow biocontrol to occur
Cloned several genes from Trichoderma as
transgenes
Produce crops which are resistant to plant diseases

Currently not commercially available

Principles of plant disease
management through bioagents
Eradication
Protection
References


Current Microbiology Vol. 37 (1998), pp.6-11 Target Range of Zwittermicin A, and Aminopolyol antibiotic from
B. cereus

Trichoderma for Biocontrol of Plant Pathogens: From Basic Research to Commercialized Products Gary E.
Harman Departments of Horticultural Science and of Plant Pathology ,Cornell University

Plant Biocontrol by Trichoderma spp. Ilan Chet, Ada Viterbo and Yariv Brotman. Department of Biological
Chemistry

Trichoderma spp., including T. harzianum, T. viride, T. koningii, T. hamatum and other spp.
by G. E. Harman, Cornell University, Geneva, NY 14456

The Plant Cell, Vol. 8, 1855-1869, October 1996 O 1996 American Society of Plant Physiologists Biocontrol of
Soilborne Plant Pathogens. Jo Handelsman and Eric V. Stabb

BioWorks products http://www.bioworksbiocontrol.com/productsections/agprod.html

Trichoderma image http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2002/021231.trichoderma.jpg

Trichoderma colonization image
http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/ent/biocontrol/pathogens/images/trichoderma3.jpg

www.weizmann.ac.il/Biological_Chemistry/scientist/Chet/Chet.html