Biocontrol bears the promise of becoming an appealing solution to plant diseases. Many biocontrol agents are widely investigated and an increasing number of microbes are recognized as biocontrol agent against plant pathogens, but only a few of them have been commercialized. Efforts to field utilization of biocontrol agents have been limited by an insufficient understanding of the factors that contribute to its biocontrol efficacy and action mechanism which is now a day more than just the initially reported few familiar and general action mechanisms. Now it is crucial to investigate the detail action mechanism of biocontrol agents in order to use them effectively and discourage the chemical management of plant diseases.There have been many efforts to understand the action mechanism of biocontrol agents. Microscopic, biochemical and microbiological approaches applied over the years have elucidated these mechanisms, but have not fully demonstrated them. In the last decade, the developments in molecular approaches and advancements in omics technologies have yielded innovative strategies for demonstrating and understanding the action mechanism of biocontrol agents and helped to enhance its biocontrol efficacy. The molecular interactions of Trichoderma with the plant pathogen and host have been studied. Efforts are on the way to demonstrate the action mechanism of biocontrol agents and improving their biocontrol efficacy.In this Research Topic we welcome original research, review, mini review on the latest work related to novel understandings of the action mechanism of biocontrol agents and efforts to enhance their biocontrol activity. This will provide significant insights into the regulation of biocontrol activity, complex network of tripartite interaction among plant-biocontrol-pathogen.The focus of this Research Topic is (but not limited to) the themes below:• Antimicrobial metabolites from biocontrol agents against plant pathogens• Biotechnological approaches to understand the action mechanism of biocontrol agents• Enhancing biocontrol efficacy of biocontrol agents through genetic engineering• Regulation of biocontrol activity• Field effectiveness of biocontrol agents• Commercialization of microbial pesticides against plant diseases
Biocontrol bears the promise of becoming an appealing solution to plant diseases. Many biocontrol agents are widely investigated and an increasing number of microbes are recognized as biocontrol agent against plant pathogens, but only a few of them have been commercialized. Efforts to field utilization of biocontrol agents have been limited by an insufficient understanding of the factors that contribute to its biocontrol efficacy and action mechanism which is now a day more than just the initially reported few familiar and general action mechanisms. Now it is crucial to investigate the detail action mechanism of biocontrol agents in order to use them effectively and discourage the chemical management of plant diseases.There have been many efforts to understand the action mechanism of biocontrol agents. Microscopic, biochemical and microbiological approaches applied over the years have elucidated these mechanisms, but have not fully demonstrated them. In the last decade, the developments in molecular approaches and advancements in omics technologies have yielded innovative strategies for demonstrating and understanding the action mechanism of biocontrol agents and helped to enhance its biocontrol efficacy. The molecular interactions of Trichoderma with the plant pathogen and host have been studied. Efforts are on the way to demonstrate the action mechanism of biocontrol agents and improving their biocontrol efficacy.In this Research Topic we welcome original research, review, mini review on the latest work related to novel understandings of the action mechanism of biocontrol agents and efforts to enhance their biocontrol activity. This will provide significant insights into the regulation of biocontrol activity, complex network of tripartite interaction among plant-biocontrol-pathogen.The focus of this Research Topic is (but not limited to) the themes below:• Antimicrobial metabolites from biocontrol agents against plant pathogens• Biotechnological approaches to understand the action mechanism of biocontrol agents• Enhancing biocontrol efficacy of biocontrol agents through genetic engineering• Regulation of biocontrol activity• Field effectiveness of biocontrol agents• Commercialization of microbial pesticides against plant diseases