Aug 2026· Discover Plants· Vol 3· 0 citations· 116 references
TL;DR
This review summarizes recent findings on the use and actual mechanisms of BCAs against the primary rice fungal pathogens, and discusses a variety of methods of application, like as foliar sprays, soil inoculation, and seed dressing, and focuses on the significance of developing stable and efficient formulations.
Abstract
More than 50% of the world's population is reliant on rice (Oryza sativa L.) as their main dietary source, but harmful fungal diseases are a constant threat to its production. Each year, significant yield losses occur due to pathogens like Rhizoctonia solani (sheath blight), Magnaporthe oryzae (rice blast) and Ustilaginoidea virens (false smut). The frequent use of chemical fungicides used to treat these diseases have led to the development of tolerance pathogen stress and serious environmental issues. A viable and long-term alternative is biological control, which makes use of more beneficial microorganisms called biocontrol agents (BCAs). This review summarizes recent findings on the use and actual mechanisms of BCAs against the primary rice fungal pathogens. We analyze the variety of microbial antagonists, which comprise the fungal and bacterial genera Trichoderma and Bacillus, Pseudomonas, and Streptomyces and other endophytic fungi. These BCAs have a variety of functional mechanisms, include competition for nutrients and space, direct hostility through mycoparasitism, and antibiosis, as well as indirect mechanisms such as the induction of systemic resistance (ISR) in the host plant and plant growth promotion (PGP).We discuss a variety of methods of application, like as foliar sprays, soil inoculation, and seed dressing, and focus on the significance of developing stable and efficient formulations. In order to improve the efficacy and reliability of biocontrol in rice agroecosystems, we deal with the issues preventing the broad use of BCAs, such as uneven field performance and regulatory barriers, and we suggest future research possibilities, such as the development of synthetic microbial consortia and the application of multi-omics technologies.
Filamentous fungi of the genus Trichoderma, commonly found in the rhizosphere, are a prevalent component of various soil ecosystem mycobiomes and are known for their ability to colonize plant roots. Understanding Trichoderma's characteristics, including its metabolic activity and interactions with plants and other microorganisms, is crucial for its effective application in agriculture. Interest in Trichoderma is growing due to its direct and indirect biocontrol capabilities against a wide spectrum of soil-borne phytopathogens. These fungi employ a range of complex mechanisms, such as mycoparasitism, degradation of pathogen cell walls, competition for nutrients and space, and activation of plant defence responses. Given the continuous threat posed to plants by various pathogens, particularly filamentous fungi, and the increasing resistance of these pathogens to chemical pesticides, there is a pressing need to develop alternative biological protection strategies. Among non-pathogenic microorganisms, Trichoderma stands out as a promising candidate for sustainable agricultural practices due to its extensive biofertilization and bio stimulatory properties. Most Trichoderma species function as plant growth-promoting fungi, capable of producing phytohormones and the enzyme 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase. This review consolidates current knowledge on the role of Trichoderma, emphasizing its significance in promoting plant growth and its effectiveness in the biocontrol of fungal phytopathogens.
S. Rana, V. Saini, Zehra Husaini et al.· Progressive Agriculture· 0 citations
This review summarizes current knowledge on direct mechanisms of actinobacteria and their metabolites, aiming to support the future application of actinobacteria and their metabolites as part of biological plant disease management strategies.
András Sáhó, E. Lakatos, Babett Greff· Agriculture· 0 citations
Fungal and oomycete plant pathogens are major drivers of yield losses worldwide and are spurring the search for sustainable alternatives to synthetic pesticides. Algae, in general, and microalgae, in particular, represent a promising source of bioactive compounds for crop protection. Despite this, their efficacy across different host–pathogen systems remains poorly characterised. This study evaluated the biocontrol potential of the aqueous extract of Chlorella sorokoniana against three economically important phytopathogens using complementary in vitro, ex vivo, and in planta assays. The strongest activity was observed against Magnaporthe oryzae, with the extract reducing fungal growth by approximately 70% in vitro, inhibiting appressorium formation by 55%, suppressing lesion development on detached rice leaves by more than 75%, and reducing rice blast severity by 64.5% as a preventive foliar treatment. In contrast, the extract showed little or no direct in vitro antifungal activity against Pythium ultimum and Rhizoctonia solani, yet it significantly reduced disease severity in planta by 13-37% and 48–55%, respectively. The contrasting responses among pathosystems suggest that C. sorokoniana aqueous extracts act through different mechanisms depending on the pathogen and the crop, combining direct antifungal activity against M. oryzae with plant-associated protective effects against soil-borne pathogens. These findings highlight the importance of evaluating candidate biocontrol products using complementary in vitro and in planta approaches, as laboratory antimicrobial assays alone may substantially underestimate their agricultural potential. The broad-spectrum protection achieved with an unrefined aqueous extract further supports C. sorokoniana as a promising source of sustainable crop protection products and provides a strong foundation for future mechanistic studies, formulation development, and field validation.
R. Ciubotaru, Miguel Claro, C. Viana et al.· bioRxiv· 0 citations
Overall, Streptomyces virginiae JCK-8401 is a highly promising, multifunctional biocontrol agent for managing soil-borne diseases through a synergistic combination of antibiosis, bioinoculation, and the induction of host plant defense responses.
L. T. Nguyen, A. Park, H. Le et al.· Plant Pathology Journal· 0 citations
The review highlights the advances in use of bacteriophages as precise, environmentally friendly and environmentally stable biocontrol agents of phytopathogenic bacteria and explains the mechanism of action of phages, pointing to a bright future in the application of phage-based biocontrol in sustainable and resilient plant health management practices.
Zeenat Niaz, Adil Zahoor, Junaid Hassan et al.· Integrative Plant Biotechnol...· 0 citations
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