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REVIEW article
Front. Agron.
Sec. Disease Management
Volume 7 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fagro.2025.1578915
Biological Control Agents: Mechanisms of Action, Selection, Formulation and Challenges in Agriculture
Provisionally accepted- 1ESPOL Polytechnic University, Guayaquil, Ecuador
- 2Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
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The increasing global population has intensified the demand for food production, both in quantity and quality. To meet this challenge and prevent crop diseases, chemical pesticides have been widely used. However, their negative effects on human health and the environment have driven the search for sustainable alternatives. In this context, microbial-based biopesticides, particularly Trichoderma and Bacillus, have emerged as key biocontrol agents in agroecosystems. This review provides a comprehensive overview of their agricultural significance, focusing on their mechanisms of action, efficacy, and biotechnological advancements aimed at optimizing their performance. Trichoderma spp. act primarily through mycoparasitism, nutrient competition, and antibiosis, while Bacillus spp. employ mechanisms such as lipopeptide production, lytic enzymes, siderophores, and the activation of induced systemic resistance (ISR). Unlike traditional reviews that primarily describe their biological functions, this work offers a structured framework for their application, addressing key factors such as selection criteria for effective biocontrol agents, formulation strategies, product stability, viability, and regulatory challenges in commercial agriculture. Additionally, recent studies on genetic enhancement, including CRISPRbased modifications, are examined to improve their adaptability, metabolic activity, and effectiveness in pathogen control across diverse agricultural systems. By integrating biological, technological, and practical perspectives, this review aims to bridge the gap between scientific advancements and realworld agricultural applications, contributing to the development of scalable and sustainable disease management strategies.
Keywords: beneficial microorganisms, Biological Control Agents, Biopesticides, crop protection, sustainability
Received: 18 Feb 2025; Accepted: 08 Apr 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Villavicencio, Espinoza, Espinoza and Coronel. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Jonathan Coronel, ESPOL Polytechnic University, Guayaquil, Ecuador
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.